Characteristics of the 93 HCV-MC patients according to the type of treatment
| Parameter . | All MC patients (n = 93) . | Peg-IFN-α/ribavirin (n = 55) . | RTX-Peg-IFN-α/ribavirin (n = 38) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 59.9 ± 11.8 | 61.3 ± 11.6 | 58 ± 11.8 | .74 |
| Female sex | 55 (59.1) | 29 (52.7) | 26 (68.4) | .14 |
| HCV infection | ||||
| Duration of HCV infection, y | 21.2 ± 9.1 | 20.8 ± 7.9 | 21.7 ± 12.3 | .83 |
| Genotype | ||||
| 1 | 63 (67.7) | 39 (70.9) | 24 (63.1) | .74 |
| 2 | 9 (9.6) | 4 (7.2) | 5 (13.1) | |
| 3 | 11 (11.8) | 6 (10.9) | 5 (13.1) | |
| 4 | 4 (4.3) | 2 (3.6) | 2 (5.2) | |
| 5 | 6 (6.4) | 4 (7.2) | 2 (5.2) | |
| HCV RNA, log copies/mL | 5.8 ± 0.7 | 5.8 ± 0.8 | 5.8 ± 0.6 | .97 |
| ALT, ULN | 2.2 ± 1.1 | 2.4 ± 1.5 | 2.0 ± 1.2 | .84 |
| Liver histology* | ||||
| Activity (0-3) | 1.3 ± 0.8 | 1.3 ± 0.8 | 1.4 ± 0.9 | .87 |
| Fibrosis (0-4) | 2.1 ± 1.3 | 1.9 ± 1.2 | 2.4 ± 1.3 | .57 |
| MC-related | ||||
| Cryoglobulin level, g/L | 0.97 ± 1.1 | 0.8 ± 1.2 | 1.1 ± 1.1 | .78 |
| Type II | 78 (83.9) | 41 (74.5) | 37 (97.4) | .44 |
| Type III | 12 (12.9) | 11 (20) | 1 (2.6) | |
| C4 complement level, g/L | 0.06 ± 0.07 | 0.06 ± 0.04 | 0.07 ± 0.08 | .83 |
| Vasculitis | ||||
| Duration of vasculitis, mo | 26.5 ± 35.4 | 29.2 ± 34.4 | 22.4 ± 37.2 | .25 |
| General symptoms | 16 (17.2) | 4 (7.2) | 12 (31.6) | .01 |
| Purpura | 62 (66.6) | 33 (60) | 29 (76.3) | .51 |
| Arthralgia | 36 (38.7) | 21 (38.1) | 15 (39.5) | > .999 |
| Myalgia | 15 (16.1) | 7 (12.7) | 8 (21.0) | .40 |
| Peripheral neuropathy | 67 (72.0) | 39 (70.9) | 28 (73.7) | > .999 |
| Kidney involvement | 31 (33.3) | 10 (18.2) | 21 (55.2) | .01 |
| Central nervous system | 8 (8.6) | 4 (7.2) | 4 (10.5) | .71 |
| Gastrointestinal tract involvement | 8 (8.6) | 3 (5.4) | 5 (13.2) | .28 |
| Cardiac involvement | 7 (7.5) | 0 | 3 (7.9) | .07 |
| B-NHL | 13 (13.9) | 6 (10.9) | 7 (18.4) | .38 |
| Treatment | ||||
| Antiviral therapy–naive | 42 (45.2) | 25 (45.4) | 17 (44.7) | > .999 |
| Antiviral therapy–resistant | 51 (54.8) | 30 (54.6) | 21 (55.3) | > .999 |
| Concurrent treatment | ||||
| Corticosteroids | 31 (35.2) | 18 (32.7) | 6 (15.7) | .01 |
| Immunosuppressants | 4 (4.3) | 3 (5.4) | 1 (2.6) | .64 |
| Plasma exchange | 5 (6.2) | 2 (3.6) | 3 (7.9) | .64 |
| Parameter . | All MC patients (n = 93) . | Peg-IFN-α/ribavirin (n = 55) . | RTX-Peg-IFN-α/ribavirin (n = 38) . | P . |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 59.9 ± 11.8 | 61.3 ± 11.6 | 58 ± 11.8 | .74 |
| Female sex | 55 (59.1) | 29 (52.7) | 26 (68.4) | .14 |
| HCV infection | ||||
| Duration of HCV infection, y | 21.2 ± 9.1 | 20.8 ± 7.9 | 21.7 ± 12.3 | .83 |
| Genotype | ||||
| 1 | 63 (67.7) | 39 (70.9) | 24 (63.1) | .74 |
| 2 | 9 (9.6) | 4 (7.2) | 5 (13.1) | |
| 3 | 11 (11.8) | 6 (10.9) | 5 (13.1) | |
| 4 | 4 (4.3) | 2 (3.6) | 2 (5.2) | |
| 5 | 6 (6.4) | 4 (7.2) | 2 (5.2) | |
| HCV RNA, log copies/mL | 5.8 ± 0.7 | 5.8 ± 0.8 | 5.8 ± 0.6 | .97 |
| ALT, ULN | 2.2 ± 1.1 | 2.4 ± 1.5 | 2.0 ± 1.2 | .84 |
| Liver histology* | ||||
| Activity (0-3) | 1.3 ± 0.8 | 1.3 ± 0.8 | 1.4 ± 0.9 | .87 |
| Fibrosis (0-4) | 2.1 ± 1.3 | 1.9 ± 1.2 | 2.4 ± 1.3 | .57 |
| MC-related | ||||
| Cryoglobulin level, g/L | 0.97 ± 1.1 | 0.8 ± 1.2 | 1.1 ± 1.1 | .78 |
| Type II | 78 (83.9) | 41 (74.5) | 37 (97.4) | .44 |
| Type III | 12 (12.9) | 11 (20) | 1 (2.6) | |
| C4 complement level, g/L | 0.06 ± 0.07 | 0.06 ± 0.04 | 0.07 ± 0.08 | .83 |
| Vasculitis | ||||
| Duration of vasculitis, mo | 26.5 ± 35.4 | 29.2 ± 34.4 | 22.4 ± 37.2 | .25 |
| General symptoms | 16 (17.2) | 4 (7.2) | 12 (31.6) | .01 |
| Purpura | 62 (66.6) | 33 (60) | 29 (76.3) | .51 |
| Arthralgia | 36 (38.7) | 21 (38.1) | 15 (39.5) | > .999 |
| Myalgia | 15 (16.1) | 7 (12.7) | 8 (21.0) | .40 |
| Peripheral neuropathy | 67 (72.0) | 39 (70.9) | 28 (73.7) | > .999 |
| Kidney involvement | 31 (33.3) | 10 (18.2) | 21 (55.2) | .01 |
| Central nervous system | 8 (8.6) | 4 (7.2) | 4 (10.5) | .71 |
| Gastrointestinal tract involvement | 8 (8.6) | 3 (5.4) | 5 (13.2) | .28 |
| Cardiac involvement | 7 (7.5) | 0 | 3 (7.9) | .07 |
| B-NHL | 13 (13.9) | 6 (10.9) | 7 (18.4) | .38 |
| Treatment | ||||
| Antiviral therapy–naive | 42 (45.2) | 25 (45.4) | 17 (44.7) | > .999 |
| Antiviral therapy–resistant | 51 (54.8) | 30 (54.6) | 21 (55.3) | > .999 |
| Concurrent treatment | ||||
| Corticosteroids | 31 (35.2) | 18 (32.7) | 6 (15.7) | .01 |
| Immunosuppressants | 4 (4.3) | 3 (5.4) | 1 (2.6) | .64 |
| Plasma exchange | 5 (6.2) | 2 (3.6) | 3 (7.9) | .64 |
Except where indicated otherwise, values are mean ± SD and n (%). Categorical variables were compared using Fisher exact or χ2 tests, and continuous variables using the t test or Mann-Whitney U test.
ALT indicates alanine aminotransferase; ULN, upper limit of normal value; and B-NHL, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Grading of liver inflammation and fibrosis according to the METAVIR score.