Relevance of low viral load in haemodialysed patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Table 1 Clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients n (%)

	ESRD	Controls	P value
	(n = 39)	(n = 109)
Age, median (range)	52 (25-69)	46 (17-67)	0.013
Gender, F/M	15/24 (38.5/61.5)	55/54 (50.5/49.5)	0.262
Fibrosis stage before treatment according to Metavir score
F0	2 (5.1)	3 (2.8)	0.072
F1	12 (30.8)	25 (22.9)
F2	6 (15.4)	21 (19.3)
F3	1 (2.6)	21 (19.3)
F4	8 (20.5)	31 (28.4)
F unknown	10 (25.6)	8 (7.3)
BMI, average (mean ± SD)	24 ± 4.1	25 ± 4.0	0.071
Type 2 diabetes	5 (12.8)	12 (11.0)	0.773
Initial ALT (IU/L), average (mean ± SD)	57 ± 54	105 ± 87	< 0.001
Initial viral load (IU/mL x 1000), median (IQR)	193 (16-810)	541 (163-1853)	0.003
RVR	20 (52.6)	39 (36.1)	0.074
EVR	29 (74.4)	60 (55.0)	0.038
SVR	25 (64.1)	55 (50.5)	0.190
Premature termination of treatment	14 (35.9)	44 (40.4)	0.704
IL28B CC genotype	11 (28.2)	21 (19.3)	0.262
IFNL4 TT genotype	11 (28.9)	21 (19.3)	0.370
Initial viral load < 600000 IU/mL	28 (71.8)	51 (46.8)	0.009
History of kidney transplant	29 (74.4)	NA	NA
Concurrent treatment with ribavirin	23 (59.0)	109 (100.0)	< 0.001

Controls: HCV patients with normal pretreatment renal function; ESRD: HCV patients with end-stage renal disease treated with haemodialysis; BMI: Body mass index; RVR: Rapid virological response; EVR: Early virological response; SVR: Sustained virological response; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; NA: Not applicable.