Table 1 Characteristics of included patients

Number of patients

24

Liver Disease

   HCV

19 (79%)

   HCV-HIV

2 (8%)

   Alcohol

3 (13%)

Duration of liver disease (years) – mean (sd)

21 (4)

Age at biopsy (years) – mean (sd)

49 (11)

Age at serum sample (years) – mean (sd)

52 (11)

Duration between biopsy and serum sample (years) – mean (sd)

2.7 (1.4)

Male (%)

16 (67%)

Female (%)

8 (33%)

Mode of HCV infection

   Transfusion (%)

6 (29%)

   IV drug use

9 (42%)

   Unknown

6 (29%)

HCV Genotype

   3

1 (5%)

   1

20 (95%)

Baseline viral load (median in million IU/ml)

5

Fibrosis stage (unknown in 2)

   No fibrosis (F0)

1 (5%)

   Portal fibrosis or (F1)

8 (36%)

   Few septa (F2)

7 (32%)

   Many septa (F3)

0 (0%)

   Cirrhosis (F4)

6 (27%)

Activity grade (unknown in 2)

   None (A0)

2 (10%)

   Mild (A1)

15 (67%)

   Moderate (A2)

5 (23%)

   Severe (A3)

0 (0%)

Biopsy size (median in mm)

17

Status of patients (response to treatment)

   Sustained responder

4 (19%)

   Relapser

1 (5%)

   Non responder

10 (48%)

   Not treated

6 (28%)