Characteristics of patients with (group 1) and without (group 2) cryogblobulins before treatment
| Group 1 (n=43) | Group 2 (n=44) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 52 (13) | 46 (13) | 0.1 |
| Sex (M/F) | 19/24 | 28/16 | 0.033 |
| ALT (× ULNR) | 2.9 (1.5) | 3.5 (2.9) | 0.3 |
| Duration of LD (years) | 18 (11) | 12.5 (9.5) | 0.02 |
| Cirrhosis (%) | 39.5 | 20 | 0.028 |
| Knodell score | 8.83 (2.5) | 7.93 (2.7) | 0.1 |
| Cryoglobulin type II/III (%) | 44/56 | — | — |
| Cryoglobulin concentration (g/l) | 0.30 (0.40) | — | — |
| Presence of RF (%) | 70 | 9 | 0.0001 |
| Viral load (×105 eq/ml) | 52 (51) | 52 (70) | 0.9 |
| Genotype 1 (%) | 63 | 57 | 0.1 |
Where applicable, values are expressed as mean (SD).
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; ULNR, upper limit of normal range; LD, liver disease; RF, rheumatoid factor.