Isolated antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Table 2 Comparison between patients with positive anti-HBc and those with negative anti-HBc

Variable	Patients with HCV & positive anti-HBc (n = 85)	Patients with HCV & negative anti-HBc (n = 84)	P value
Age (yr)	39.1 ± 18.3	48.9 ± 16.3	< 0.001
Sex Female Male	33 (38.8) 52 (61.2)	24 (28.6) 60 (71.4)	NS
INR	1.1 ± 0.3	1.1 ± 0.2	NS
AST (U/L)	68.1 ± 44.5	94.4 ± 130.1	NS
ALT (U/L)	61.0 ± 39.9	88.8 ± 119.0	< 0.05
GGT (U/L)	100.2 ± 134.0	137.2 ± 245.8	NS
Bilirubin (μmol/L)	30.0 ± 50.1	29.7 ± 56.6	NS
ALP (U/L)	133.2 ± 89.5	168.0 ± 129.1	NS
Albumin (g/L)	35.9 ± 6.1	35.4 ± 6.3	NS
Urea (mmol/L)	6.2 ± 4.3	7.8 ± 8.0	NS
Creatinine (μmol/L)	117.5 ± 138.9	1792.9 ± 240.6	NS
Liver pathology Cirrhosis	14 (16.5)	45 (83.5)	< 0.001
CAH	71 (53.6)	39 (46.4)

Data are expressed as mean ± SD or number (%). NS = not significant; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; AST: aspartate aminotransferase; CAH: chronic active hepatitis; GGT: Gamma-glutamyl transferase; HBcAb: hepatitis B core antibody; INR: international normalization ratio.