Epidemiologic, clinical, and virologic characteristics of HCV-RNA–positive patients with and without serum cryoglobulins
| Characteristics value . | All patients (n = 88) . | Cryoglobulins negative (n = 64) . | Cryoglobulins positive (n = 24) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median age, y, (range) | 44.1 (15-71) | 41.8 (15-67) | 47.2 (23-71) | .05 |
| Median age at infection, y (range) | 20.3 (1-56) | 21.7 (1-56) | 15.4 (1-38) | NS |
| Median duration of infection, y (range) | 24.3 (15-34) | 21.3 (15-36) | 31.4 (15-36) | < .001 |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 77 (87.5)‡ | 58 (90.6)‡ | 19 (79.2)‡ | NS |
| Female | 11 (12.5)‡ | 7 (10.9)‡ | 4 (16.7)‡ | |
| Diagnosis | ||||
| Mild/moderate hemophilia | 43 (48.9)‡ | 34 (53.1)‡ | 9 (37.5)‡ | < .01 |
| Severe hemophilia | 29 (32.9)‡ | 19 (29.7)‡ | 10 (41.7)‡ | .02 |
| von Willebrand disease | 16 (18.2)‡ | 11 (17.2)‡ | 5 (20.8)‡ | NS |
| Genotype | ||||
| 1a | 18 (20.5)‡ | 12 (18.8)‡ | 6 (25.0)‡ | < .0014-153 |
| 1b | 32 (36.4)‡ | 24 (37.5)‡ | 8 (33.3)‡ | |
| 2 | 15 (17.0)‡ | 10 (15.6)‡ | 5 (20.8)‡ | |
| 3 | 14 (15.9)‡ | 10 (15.6)‡ | 4 (16.7)‡ | |
| 4 | 3 (3.4)‡ | 3 (4.7)‡ | — | |
| Mixed4-150 | 6 (6.8)‡ | 5 (7.8)‡ | 1 (4.2)‡ | |
| Liver status | ||||
| Normal ALT levels | 15 (17.0)‡ | 14 (21.9)‡ | 1 (4.2)‡ | < .001 |
| Chronic hepatitis | 61 (69.3)‡ | 43 (67.2)‡ | 18 (75.0)‡ | .02 |
| Severe liver disease4-151 | 12 (13.6)‡ | 7 (10.9)‡ | 5 (20.8)‡ | < .01 |
| Characteristics value . | All patients (n = 88) . | Cryoglobulins negative (n = 64) . | Cryoglobulins positive (n = 24) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median age, y, (range) | 44.1 (15-71) | 41.8 (15-67) | 47.2 (23-71) | .05 |
| Median age at infection, y (range) | 20.3 (1-56) | 21.7 (1-56) | 15.4 (1-38) | NS |
| Median duration of infection, y (range) | 24.3 (15-34) | 21.3 (15-36) | 31.4 (15-36) | < .001 |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 77 (87.5)‡ | 58 (90.6)‡ | 19 (79.2)‡ | NS |
| Female | 11 (12.5)‡ | 7 (10.9)‡ | 4 (16.7)‡ | |
| Diagnosis | ||||
| Mild/moderate hemophilia | 43 (48.9)‡ | 34 (53.1)‡ | 9 (37.5)‡ | < .01 |
| Severe hemophilia | 29 (32.9)‡ | 19 (29.7)‡ | 10 (41.7)‡ | .02 |
| von Willebrand disease | 16 (18.2)‡ | 11 (17.2)‡ | 5 (20.8)‡ | NS |
| Genotype | ||||
| 1a | 18 (20.5)‡ | 12 (18.8)‡ | 6 (25.0)‡ | < .0014-153 |
| 1b | 32 (36.4)‡ | 24 (37.5)‡ | 8 (33.3)‡ | |
| 2 | 15 (17.0)‡ | 10 (15.6)‡ | 5 (20.8)‡ | |
| 3 | 14 (15.9)‡ | 10 (15.6)‡ | 4 (16.7)‡ | |
| 4 | 3 (3.4)‡ | 3 (4.7)‡ | — | |
| Mixed4-150 | 6 (6.8)‡ | 5 (7.8)‡ | 1 (4.2)‡ | |
| Liver status | ||||
| Normal ALT levels | 15 (17.0)‡ | 14 (21.9)‡ | 1 (4.2)‡ | < .001 |
| Chronic hepatitis | 61 (69.3)‡ | 43 (67.2)‡ | 18 (75.0)‡ | .02 |
| Severe liver disease4-151 | 12 (13.6)‡ | 7 (10.9)‡ | 5 (20.8)‡ | < .01 |
HCV indicates hepatitis C virus; NS, not significant; ALT, alanine aminotransferase.
Three patients with genotype 1a + 1b and one patient with genotype 1a + 2b were cryoglobulin negative; one patient with genotype 1a + 1b had serum cryoglobulins.
Four patients with liver cirrhosis, 2 patients with hepatic decompensation, and 1 patient with hepatocellular carcinoma were cryoglobulin negative; 2 patients with liver cirrhosis, 2 patients with hepatic decompensation, and 1 patient with hepatocellular carcinoma had serum cryoglobulins.
Number (percentage).
HCV genotype 1 versus other genotypes: 15 of 24 (62.5%) vs. 9 of 24 (37.5%), P < .001.