Table 3 Characteristics of the study population 2 (maintenance IFN therapy, n=14)

No. subjects

n

11

3

Sex

male/female

3/8

3/0

0.02

Age

(mean ± SD), years

65.2 ± 5.9

64.3 ± 6.0

NS

Age range

years

56 - 73

58 - 70

IFN therapy for the first time/retreatment

n

5/6

0/3

NS

Liver diseases

CH-C

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

CH-C & AIH

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

CH-C & post HCV-related HCC

1

9.1%

1

33.3%

LC-C

5

45.5%

0

0.0%

LC-C & LC-B

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

LC-C & post HCV-related HCC

2

18.2%

2

66.7%

Liver diseases

Only CH

2

18.2%

0

0.0%

NS

LC or post HCC treatmnet

9

81.8%

3

100.0%

NS

HCV genotype

1b

8

72.7%

2

66.7%

NS

2a

2

18.2%

0

0.0%

NS

unknown

1

9.1%

1

33.3%

NS

HCV RNA level

High

11

100.0%

3

100.0%

NS

Low

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

NS

Extrahepatic manifestations

Diabetes millitus (positive %)

5

45.5%

1

33.3%

NS

Hypertensiton (positive %)

6

54.5%

1

33.3%

NS

Hyperlipidemia (positive %)

0

0.0%

0

0.0%

NS

Oral lichen planus (positive %)

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

NS

Hyperthyroidism (positive %)

2

18.2%

0

0.0%

NS

Hypothyroidism (positive %)

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

NS

Total of Aminofeel intake (g)

mean ± SD

2443.6 ± 3209.3

0

<0.01

BMI

mean ± SD

24.3 ± 2.0

24.5 ± 3.1

NS

Obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²)

n (%)

4

36.4%

1

33.3%

NS

RBC (×10⁴/μL)

mean ± SD

402.3 ± 62.3

417.3 ± 29.5

NS

Hb (g/dL)

mean ± SD

13.0 ± 1.5

13.1 ± 1.2

NS

PLT (×10⁴/μL)

mean ± SD

9.4 ± 4.8

10.2 ± 4.9

NS

WBC (μL)

mean ± SD

3809.1 ± 1045.4

3500.0 ± 1558.8

NS

PT (%)

mean ± SD

80.7 ± 22.6

85.3 ± 10.5

NS

AST (U/I)

mean ± SD

83.9 ± 44.4

73.7 ± 8.4

NS

ALT (U/I)

mean ± SD

77.9 ± 34.9

68.3 ± 6.5

NS

LDH (U/I)

mean ± SD

238.7 ± 79.1

211.0 ± 31.2

NS

gamma GTP (U/I)

mean ± SD

57.7 ± 35.0

63.0 ± 23.4

NS

ChE (U/I)

mean ± SD

166.3 ± 98.4

188.0 ± 42.3

NS

TP (g/dL)

mean ± SD

7.4 ± 0.6

7.7 ± 0.6

NS

Alb (g/dL)

mean ± SD

3.59 ± 0.5

3.67 ± 0.1

NS

T.Bil (mg/dL)

mean ± SD

1.0 ± 0.3

1.1 ± 0.4

NS

FBS (mg/dL)

mean ± SD

112.7 ± 18.4

93.3 ± 24.0

NS

HbA1c (%)

mean ± SD

5.6 ± 0.8

5.4 ± 0.9

NS

TC (mg/dL)

mean ± SD

166.7 ± 20.8

134.5 ± 9.2

NS

AFP (ng/dL)

mean ± SD

33.7 ± 70.2

11.7 ± 3.8

NS

IRI (μU/mL)

mean ± SD

20.8 ± 15.1

15.6 ± 8.8

NS

HOMA-beta

185.7 ± 184.0

208.6 ± 69.7

NS

HOMA-IR

6.0 ± 5.3

3.9 ± 3.2

NS

Zn (μg/dL)

mean ± SD

62.8 ±10.7

67.0 ± 2.8

NS

Course of IFN therapy

Peg-IFN alpha 2a monotherapy

4

36.4%

2

66.7%

Peg-IFN alpha 2a/RBV - (change) - Peg-IFN alpha 2a monotherapy

4

36.4%

1

33.3%

IFN beta - (change) - Peg-IFN alpha 2b/RBV - (change) - Peg-IFN alpha 2a monotherapy

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

Peg-IFN alpha 2a monotherapy - (change) - Peg-IFN alpha 2a/RBV - (change) - Peg-IFN alpha 2a monotherapy

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

Peg-IFN alpha 2a monotherapy - (change) - Peg-IFN alpha 2b/RBV

1

9.1%

0

0.0%

Effect of IFN therapy

SVR

2

18.2%

0

0.0%

NS

Non-SVR

9

81.8%

3

100.0%

NS