Does protracted antiviral therapy impact on HCV-related liver cirrhosis progression?

Table 1 Laboratory and sonographic parameters of the population at entry

	Treated
	Not (36 patients)					Yes (35 patients)
	Mean	SD	Median	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	SD	Median	Minimum	Maximum
ALT1	61.25	9.7				61.3	13.6
Chol 2			133.5	59	190			132	89	200
Plts3			141	67	191			134	90	193
SLD at US4			134	122	151			133	120	146

ALT: alanine aminotransferase; Chol: total cholesterol; Plts: platelets; SLD: splenic longitudinal diameter; US: ultra sound; SD: standard deviation.

¹P = 0.97 at unpaired T test;

²P = 0.72 at Mann-Whitney (M-W) test;

³P = 0.15, at M-W test;

⁴P = 0.65 at M-W test.

Table 2 Child-Pugh classification (slightly modified)

Clinical and laboratory data	Points for increasing abnormality1
	1	2	3
HE (grade2)	None	(SHE)0-1-2	3-4
Ascites	None at US	Mild or controlled by diuretics	Present despite diuretics
PT (% of activity)3	> 70	70-40	< 40
Albumin (g/dL)	> 3.5	2.8-3.5	< 2.8
Bilirubin (mg/dL)	< 2	2-3	> 3

¹Scoring system: 5-6 points, grade A; 7-9 points, grade B; 10-15 points, grade C.

²HE: hepatic encephalopathy; Grade 0: sub-clinical hepatic encephalopathy, SHE, unravelled by retain tests A or B; Grade 1: anxiety, irritability, depression, impaired concentration, sleep disturbances; Grade 2: disorientation, poor short-term memory, disinhibited behaviour, drowsiness; Grade 3: somnolence, bizarre behaviour, confusion, amnesia, paranoia; Grade 4: Coma.

³PT, prothrombin time, also expressed in seconds prolonged < 4; 4-6; > 6, or as INR < 1.7; 1.7-2.3; > 2.3. US: ultra sound.