Long-term leukocyte natural α-interferon and ribavirin treatment in hepatitis C virus recurrence after liver transplantation

Table 1 Patients’ baseline characteristics (mean ± SE)

Characteristic	Patients (n = 46)
Sex (M/F)	30/16
Age (yr)	57.9 ± 1.28
Time from OLT (mo)	26.3 ± 5.1
ALT (IU/L)	152.3 ± 17.8
AST (IU/L)	105.9 ± 11.5
Gamma-GT (IU/L)	188.7 ± 39.3
Alkaline phosphatases (IU/L)	364.7 ± 39.9
Bilirubin (mg/L)	1.7 ± 0.37
Viral load (log10)	6.25 ± 0.09
Genotypes 1/4 vs 2/3	36/10
F1/F2/F3/F4	13/16/9/8
Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis	3
Cyclosporine A vs tacrolimus	7/39

ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; Gamma-GT: Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; M/F: Male/female.

Table 2 Variables associated with sustained virological response according to univariate analysis

Variable	r	95%CI	P-value
BMI > 25 kg/m2	0.30	0.01455-0.5458	0.0400
Genotypes 2-3 vs 1-4	0.37	0.09103-0.5974	0.0100
RVR	0.54	0.2992-0.7194	0.0001
HCV-RNA clearance during treatment	0.82	0.6948-0.8967	0.0001
CyA vs FK immunosuppression	0.41	0.09597-0.6519	0.0120

RVR: Rapid virological response; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; CyA: Cyclosporine; FK: Tacrolimus; BMI: Body mass index.

Table 3 Histological response after treatment (mean ± SE)

	Grading			Staging
	Before	After	P-value	Before	After	P-value
Sustained virological response (n = 9)	7.2 ± 0.8	2.6 ± 0.6	0.0039	2.1 ± 0.3	1.0 ± 0.1	0.0031
Long-term treated (n = 19)	7.9 ± 0.7	4.7 ± 0.6	0.0001	2.7 ± 0.3	2.5 ± 0.3	0.0001
Drop out (n = 7)	7.4 ± 1.1	6.0 ± 0.8	NS	2.6 ± 0.6	3.0 ± 0.6	NS

NS: Not significant.