Clinical Research
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2006; 12(35): 5692-5698
Published online Sep 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i35.5692
Table 1 Demographic data of the hepatitis C patients
VariableGroup A(PEG-IFN+RBV)n = 38Group B(IFN+RBV)n = 35P
Age (yr) (mean ± SD)45.5 ± 6.145.4 ± 5.8NS1
Gender
Male31 (81.6)33 (94.3)
Female7 (18.4)2 (5.7)
Body mass (mean ± SD)
Before treatment81.9 ± 12.073.6 ± 7.70.001
After Treatment78.9 ± 12.571.1 ± 7.40.002
Weight reduction2.9 ± 4.32.6 ± 2.7NS1
Inflammation stage
0-17 (18.4)8 (22.9)NS1
2-331 (81.6)27 (77.1)
Grade of fibrosis
Mild (0-2)25 (65.8)23 (65.7)NS1
Severe (3-4)13 (34.2)12 (34.3)
Bilharzial co-infection No.31 (81.6)30 (5.7)
Table 2 Comparison of response of hepatitis C in both groups
VariableGroup A(PEG-IFN+RBV)n = 38Group B(IFN+RBV)n = 35P
After 48 wk
Responders29 (76.3)14 (40.0)< 0.002
Non-responders9 (23.7)21 (60.0)
After 72 wk
Among responders
Sustained response25 (86.2)9 (64.3)0.124
Relapser4 (13.8)5 (35.7)
Table 3 Comparison between responders and non-responders in both hepatitis C groups (mean ± SD)
VariableGroup A (PEG-IFN+RBV) n = 38Group B (IFN+RBV) n = 35
R1NR2SR3R1NR2SR3
Age (yr)44.7 ± 5.447.8 ± 7.944.2 ± 5.845.23 ± 5.245.6 ± 6.242.9 ± 4.6
Body mass (kg)82.6 ± 10.279.7 ± 17.082.7 ± 9.874.6 ± 9.573.1 ± 6.677.3 ± 9.6
ALT (μkat/L)
Before treatment2.559 ± 1.5641.524 ± 0.0822.757 ± 1.6071.494 ± 0.4321.810 ± 0.5701.524 ± 0.515
After 3 mo1.065 ± 0.9801.095 ± 0.7671.084 ± 1.0390.405 ± 0.1121.135 ± 0.7410.487 ± 0.263
Baseline HCV RNA (MU/L)473 934 ± 373 542 496 256 ± 667 356472 444 ± 402 109312 786 ± 185 583361 857 ± 339 942  346 667 ± 207 364
Table 4 Comparison of response in both hepatitis C groups according to histopathological changes n (%)
VariablenRespondersNon respondersAmong responders
Sustained responseRelapse
Severe Fibrosis
A1138 (61.5)5 (38.5)5 (62.5)3 (37.5)
B2111 (9.1)10 (90.9)0 (0.0)1 (100.0)
Mild fibrosis
A12521 (84.0)4 (15.0)20 (95.2)1 (4.8)
B22413 (54.2)11 (45.8)9 (69.2)4 (30.8)
Severe inflammation
A13122 (71.0)9 (29.0)18 (81.8)4 (18.2)
B2277 (25.9)20 (74.1)4 (57.1)3 (42.9)
Mild inflammation
A177 (100.0)0 (0.0)7 (100.0)0 (0.0)
Table 5 Comparison between responders and non-responders in both hepatitis C groups
VariableRespondersn =43NonRespondersn =30P
Gender
Male38 (88.4)26 (86.7)NS1
Female5 (11.6)4 (13.3)
Body mass (kg, Mean ± SD)
Before treatment80.1 ± 10.675.1 ± 10.9NS1
After treatment76.9 ± 10.672.9 ± 11.5NS1
ALT
Pre treatment141.1 ± 88.9101.2 ± 41.0NS1
12 wk56.2 ± 55.067.1 ± 44.0NS1
48 wk38.1 ± 22.765.0 ± 30.6NS1
NS1
PCR (No. of viruses in BL; mean ± SD)
Pre treatment416 328 ± 341 106337 321 ± 482 8260.036
Liver fibrosis
Grade 117 (39.5)3 (10.3)0.009
Grade 217 (39.5)11 (37.9)
Grade 38 (18.6)8 (27.6)
Grade 41 (2.4)7 (24.1)
HCV vs HCV and Bilharziasis
Co-infected37 (84.1)24 (82.8)NS1
Non Bilharzial7 (15.9)5 (17.2)
Drug used
Pegasus29 (67.4)9 (30.0)0.002
Non-pegylated IFN14 (32.6)21 (70.0)
Table 6 Comparison of side effects in both hepatitis C groups
VariableGroup AGroup BP
Flu-like symptoms40 (100.0)40 (100.0)
Discontinuation of drug0 (0)0 (0)NS1
Thyroid dysfunction23NS1
Discontinuation of drug12
Psychological upset and drug intolerability11NS1
Discontinuation of drug11
Hematological
Anemia (30% from baseline)13 (26.0)12 (24.0)NS1
Neutropenia (< 0.9 × 109/L)21 (42.0)19 (38.0)NS1
Thrombocytopenia (< 50 × 109/L)None2 (4)NS1