Twenty four-week peginterferon plus ribavirin after interferon-β induction for genotype 1b chronic hepatitis C

Table 1 Clinical background of patients

	Background
n of patients	71
Male [n (%)]	31 (44)
Age (yr)	63 (32-78)
Body weight > 60 kg [n (%)]	33 (46)
HCV-RNA (Log IU/mL)	6.1 (5.1-7.2)
Alanine aminotransferase (U/L)	97 (27-513)
Platelet count [× 104/μL]	13.9 (9.1-30.6)
9.0 to 13.0 [n (% )]	28 (39)
≥ 13.0 [n (% )]	43 (61)
Albumin (g/dL)	3.9 (3.5-4.5)
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	13.6 (10.5-16.9)
Interferon-naïve [n (%)]	44 (62)
Peginterferon-α2a/-α2b (n)	34/37
Initial dose of ribavirin	38/30/3
600/800/1 000 (mg/d) (n)

Continuous variables: Median (range).