L-carnitine supplementation improves hematological pattern in patients affected by HCV treated with Peg interferon-α 2b plus ribavirin

Table 1 Characteristics of the subjects included in the study (mean ± SD)

	1Group A (n = 35)	2Group B (n = 34)
Mean age (yr)	47.6 ± 4.9	47.1 ± 5.4
Sex (M/F)	22/13	20/14
HCV exposure time (yr)	6.44 ± 4.2	7.08 ± 4.4
BMI (kg/m2)	27.1 ± 3.1	27.4 ± 2.9
HCV genotype (n)
1a	3	3
1b	24	25
2a	2	2
3a	6	4
Probable exposure (n)
Blood transfusion	12	16
Intravenous drug abuse	7	6
Occupational	3	2
Unknown	13	10

There were not significant differences between groups. IFN-α: Interferon α; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; BMI: Body mass index. ¹Group A: Peg IFN-α + RBV + L-carnitine;

²Group B: Peg IFN-α + RBV.