Clinical characteristics and current management of hepatitis B and C in China

Table 3 Laboratory assessments and anti-hepatitis C virus treatments administered to patients with hepatitis C virus infection, and the responses to treatment n (%)

	HCV(n = 1406)	HCV and HBV(n = 42)
Laboratory assessments:
HCV PCR positive1	1366/1375 (99.3)	38/40 (95.0)
ALT abnormal2	575 (40.9)
AST abnormal2	499 (35.5)
AFP abnormal	86/486 (17.7)
Received antiviral treatment	936 (66.6)	22 (52.4)
Number of treatments	(n = 936)	(n = 23)
First	751 (80.2)	20 (87.0)
Second	140 (15.0)	3 (13.0)
Third	45 (4.8)	0
Antiviral agents used in first-time antiviral treatments	(n = 750)	(n = 20)
Interferon (IFN)	232 (30.9)	5 (25.0)
PEG-IFN	514 (68.5)	15 (75.0)
Ribavirin	702 (93.6)	15 (75.0)
Duration of completed treatment, months (median, range)	(n = 277)	(n = 3)
	11.8 (0.1-139)	11.9 (5-11.9)
Responses to treatment3
Quick response4	125/425 (29.4)	4/10 (40.0)
Early response5	126/349 (36.1)	2/6 (33.3)
Response at end of treatment6	38/276 (13.8)	2/5 (40.0)
Sustained response7	24/121 (19.8)	0
No response	20/276 (7.2)	0

¹Results were unknown or unchecked for 2.2% of patients;

²Results were unknown or unchecked for 10.8%-18.4% of patients;

³Excludes patients in whom treatment was terminated early and patients not yet assessed due to ongoing treatment;

⁴Quick response (HCV RNA negative on PCR after 4 wk of treatment): calculated in patients who had received at least 4 wk therapy;

⁵Early response (HCV RNA negative on PCR negative or decreased by ≥ 2 log10 (IU/mL) after 12 wk of treatment): calculated in patients who had received at least 12 wk therapy;

⁶Response rate at end of treatment: the proportion of the patients who had received at least 24 wk therapy achieved response;

⁷Sustained response: patients who had a sustained response for at least 24 wk after completing therapy. AFP: α-Fetoprotein; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; PCR: Polymerase chain reaction; PEG-IFN: Pegylated interferon.