Retrospective study of the associations between hepatitis C virus infection and metabolic factors

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the hepatitis C virus-infected patients treated with pegylated-interferon α and ribavirin

Variable (normal values)	n1
Age (yr)	119	41 ± 11.3
Sex (men %)		57.1
Birth place (%)
Israel		12.6
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics		77.3
Other (Europe, North America, South Africa, Georgia)		10
Viral load (IU/mL)	114	461.234 ± 251.445
HCV genotype (%)
1		66.4
2		9.2
3		22.7
4		1.7
BMI (19-25 kg/m2)	81	27.0 ± 5.4
Systolic BP (15.99 kPa)	108	15.59 ± 2.26
Diastolic BP (10.66 kPa)	108	9.06 ± 1.56
Serum glucose (70-100 mg/dL)	98	96.96 ± 20.5
Cholesterol (100-200 mg/dL)	117	176 ± 49
Triglycerides (30-150 mg/dL)	90	116 ± 65
HDL (40-60 mg/dL)	74	48.8 ± 12
AST (3-32 IU)	119	51 ± 32
ALT (3-33 IU)	119	77 ± 59
T2DM (diagnosis, fasting blood glucose > 126 mg/dL, or use of anti-diabetic drugs) (%)		9.2
IFG or T2DM (fasting blood glucose > 100 mg/dL) (%)		27.7
Steatosis determined using liver biopsy (n = 85)2
Without steatosis (%)		36
Mild		37.3
Moderate		25.3
Severe		1.3
Steatosis determined using abdominal ultrasound (n = 110; with steatosis) (%)		16.5

Values are reported as mean ± SD or %.

¹Data were not available for some patients due to the retrospective nature of the study;

²Some of the patients refused to undergo liver biopsy. HCV: Hepatitis C virus; BMI: Body mass index; BP: Blood pressure; HDL: High-density lipoprotein; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; T2DM: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; IFG: Impaired fasting glucose.