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Slow Progression Rate of Fibrosis in Hepatitis C Virus Patients With Persistently Normal Alanine Transaminase Activity

table  1.   Clinical and Biochemical Features
Patients With Normal ALT Patients With Elevated ALT
No. of patients 102 102
Age (mean ± SD range) 43.0 ± 13.8 (16-75) 44.0 ± 13.5 (24-74)
Median 40.5 (95% CI: 36-43) 39.0 (95% CI: 37-43)
Age at infection (mean ± SD range) 28.2 ± 13.9 (0-64) 28.9 ± 13 (6-64)
Median 24.0 (95% CI: 21-26) 24.0 (95% CI: 22-26)
No. of males/females 41/61 41/61
Ethnic origin
  Northern Europe 73% 78%
  Mediterranean 10% 12%
  Asia  6%  6%
  Africa 11%  4%
Alcohol consumption (g/d), mean ± SD range 16 ± 44 (0-240) 13 ± 40 (0-200)
Duration of infection (yr), mean ± SD range 14.9 ± 7.6 (3-41) 14.1 ± 7.1 (3-36)
Median 14.0 (95% CI: 12-15) 13.0 (10-15)
Drug abusers (%) 32% 31%
Transfusion (%) 35% 40%
Number of ALT dosages, mean ± SD (range) 6.3 ± 3.1 (3-15) 5.5 ± 2.5 (1-20)
ALT (IU/L), mean ± SD (range)§ 24.5 ± 8.9 (7-45) 140 ± 100 (50-494)*
Median 24 (95% CI: 22-25) 112 (95% CI: 97-124)
GGT (IU/L), mean ± SD (range) 26.4 ± 20.5 (5-112) 79.1 ± 96 (7-434)dagger
Median 20 (95% CI: 16-22) 45 (95% CI: 35-50)
Prothrombin time (% of normal), mean ± SD (range) 96 ± 8.8 (55-100) 95 ± 11 (18-100)
Serum bilirubin (µmol/L), mean ± SD (range) 11.8 ± 6 (3-38) 8.4 ± 2 (5-13)
Cryoglobulinemia 14% 37%Dagger
Cholesterol (mmol/L), mean ± SD (range) 5.2 ± 1.3 (2.8-7.9) 4.7 ± 1.1 (1.4-7.8)
Triglyceride (mmol/L), mean ± SD (range) 1.2 ± 0.6 (0.3-2.2) 1 ± 0.4 (0.4-2.4)
* P < .0001.
 dagger P < .0001.
 Dagger P < .02.
§ Upper limit of normal value was 45 IU/L.

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