TABLE 3.
Backgrounds of HCV-infected patients and their serum HCV RNA levels measured by COBAS HCM-2 and bDNA-2
| Characteristic | No. of patients | HCV RNA levela
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| COBAS HCM-2 | bDNA-2 | ||
| All patients | 215 | 5.21 ± 1.03 | 6.22 ± 0.78 |
| Age (yr) | |||
| Below 40 | 70 | 5.27 ± 0.98 | 6.26 ± 0.80 |
| 40 to 60 | 119 | 5.25 ± 1.00 | 6.20 ± 0.77 |
| Above 60 | 26 | 4.87 ± 1.26 | 6.18 ± 0.81 |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 126 | 5.29 ± 0.98 | 6.30 ± 0.79 |
| Female | 89 | 5.09 ± 1.10 | 6.11 ± 0.75 |
| History of transfusion | |||
| Yes | 62 | 5.25 ± 1.11 | 6.28 ± 0.77 |
| No | 153 | 5.20 ± 1.00 | 6.20 ± 0.78 |
| Biochemistry | |||
| ASTb | |||
| Normal (≤25 IU/liter) | 25 | 5.22 ± 1.30 | 6.26 ± 0.91 |
| Abnormal (>25 IU/liter) | 190 | 5.21 ± 1.00 | 6.22 ± 0.76 |
| ALTc | |||
| Normal (≤25 IU/liter) | 23 | 5.01 ± 1.28 | 6.03 ± 1.00 |
| Abnormal (>25 IU/liter) | 192 | 5.24 ± 1.00 | 6.25 ± 0.74 |
| Liver histology | |||
| Chronic persistent hepatitis | 57 | 5.30 ± 0.99 | 6.21 ± 0.76 |
| Chronic active hepatitis | 115 | 5.25 ± 1.06 | 6.28 ± 0.79 |
| Liver cirrhosis | 43 | 5.00 ± 1.02 | 6.07 ± 0.75 |
a
Mean ± standard deviation of logarithmic transformation of log number of copies or equivalents per milliliter.
b
AST, aspartate aminotransferase.
c
ALT, alanine aminotransferase.