Phlebotomy improves histology in chronic hepatitis C males with mild iron overload

Table 2 Clinical and laboratory changes between the two liver biopsies of 28 patients with chronic hepatitis C included in the study

Variable	First biopsy1	Second biopsy1	P2
Body mass index (kg/m2)	24.5 ± 3.9	24.5 ± 3.8	0.93
Alcohol intake (g/d)	15 ± 18	7.5 ± 9.7	0.034
HCV-RNA (× 106 copies/mL)3	4.54 ± 3.6	3.96 ± 3.5	0.11
Aspartate aminotransferase (U/L, 0-40)	108 ± 58	64 ± 49	0.0001
Alanine aminotransferase (U/L, 0-40)	130 ± 57	70 ± 43	< 0.0001
γ glutamyl transpeptidase (U/L, 0-50)	86 ± 59	56 ± 56	0.004
Hemoglobin (g/100 mL, 13.7-17)	14.7 ± 1.6	14 ± 1.4	0.0001
Serum iron (μmol/L, 11-32)	24.3 ± 6.9	16.4 ± 6	< 0.0001
Transferrin saturation (%, 20-50)	43 ± 11	24.5 ± 10	< 0.0001
Serum ferritin (ng/mL, 5-365)	387 ± 238	46 ± 51	< 0.0001
Hepatic iron grade (Searle’s score 0/1/2/3)	6/17/5/0	27/1/0/0	< 0.0001
Hepatic iron concentration (μmol/g dry tissue, < 25)	23.3 ± 7	8 ± 5.6	< 0.0001
Histological grade (Knodell’s score, median)	5	4.5	0.43
Histological stage (Knodell’s score 0/1/3/4)	0/14/9/5	0/13/9/6	0.61
Steatosis grade (0/1/2/3)4	9/12/5/0	11/11/3/1	0.41

¹Values are mean ± SD, counts or medians when indicated;

²Paired Student’s t-test or Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test;

³Data were available for 20 out of 28 patients;

⁴Data were available for 26 out of 28 patients. Steatosis grade: 0, no steatosis; 1, ≤ 33% of hepatocytes; 2, 34%-66%; 3, > 66%.