Table 1 Time to appearance of anti-HCV antibodies, ALT elevation and HCV RNA detection
MarkerEstimatesModel in baseline analysisModels in sensitivity analysis
Anti-HCV antibodiesm = 66 days (SD = 28);24 82 days (range, 54–192)25Normal distribution (m = 66; SD = 28)Normal distribution (m = 49; SD = 21) or Normal distribution (m = 82; SD = 28)
ALTMedian at 46 days;27 1–2 weeks before HCV seroconversion28Exponential distribution (λ* = 0.015)Exponential distribution (λ = 1/52) or Exponential distribution (λ = 1/59)
HCV RNAm = 10 days;24 1–2 weeks29Normal distribution (m = 10; SD = 3.5)Normal distribution (m = 7; SD = 3.5) or Normal distribution (m = 14; SD = 7)

  • *λ is the parameter of the exponential distribution which is equal to ln(2) divided by the median time of elevation of ALT, which was set at 46 days in the base case analysis.27

  • ALT, alanine transaminase; HCV, hepatitis C virus; m, mean.