Contrast-enhanced ultrasound evaluation of hepatic microvascular changes in liver diseases

Table 1 Clinical and biochemical characteristics of the three study groups (mean ± SD)

Group characteristics	Controls n = 10	Patients with chronic liver disease
		Non-cirrhotic n = 20	Cirrhoticn = 20
Age (yr)	48.5 ± 14.4	48.9 ± 12.4	57.7 ± 11.4
Males, n (%)	4 (40)	12 (60)c	17 (85)c
Viral etiology (HBV/HCV)	0/0	2/18	4/16
Necroinflammatory score
A0	-	3	0
A1	-	10	0
A2	-	7	3
A3	-	0	1
Fibrosis score
F0	-	5	0
F1	-	6	0
F2	-	4	0
F3	-	5	0
F4	-	0	4
ALT (IU/L)	22.3 ± 5.2	113.8 ± 89.1c	76.9 ± 59.2c
Bilirubin (mg/dL)	0.6 ± 0.1	0.7 ± 0.4	1.5 ± 0.9a
Albumin (g/dL)	3.7 ± 0.3	4.1 ± 0.4	3 ± 0.8a
INR	1.1 ± 0.1	1 ± 0.1	1.2 ± 0.2e

^aP < 0.05 vs other groups;

^cP < 0.05 vs control group;

^eP < 0.05 vs non-cirrhotic group. ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; INR: International normalized ratio; A0: No activity; A1: Mild activity; A2: Moderate activity; A3: Severe activity; F0: No fibrosis; F1: Portal fibrosis without septa; F2: Portal fibrosis with few septa; F3: Numerous septa without cirrhosis; F4: Cirrhosis.