Table 1 Antinuclear antibody (ANA) prevalence and basic clinical characteristics of 614 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection
Characteristic
Age, years51.1 (11.2)*
Sex, male/female371/243
AST, IU/l, normal range 10–42 IU/l106.9 (69.5)*
ALT, IU/l, normal range 10–40 IU/l166.5 (140.5)*
HCV RNA, log IU/ml5.33 (0.95)*
HCV genotype
    1b (%)306 (49.8)
    2a (%)202 (32.9)
    2b (%)31 (5.0)
    Mixed (%)67 (10.9)
    Unclassified (%)8 (1.3)
HAI (n = 447)
    Necroinflammatory score4.91 (2.44)*
    Fibrosis score1.73 (1.22)*
        F0–2 (%)328 (73.4)
        F3–4 (%)119 (26.6)
ANA positive (%)†215 (35.0)
    Titre (n = 215)
        1:40 (%)163 (75.8)
        1:80 (%)26 (12.1)
        1:160 (%)14 (6.5)
        1:320 (%)12 (5.6)

  • *Values are means (SD), unless otherwise indicated.

  • †ANA titre >1:40 was considered to be positive.

  • HCV, hepatitis C virus; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; HAI, histological activity index.