Four-week pegylated interferon α-2a monotherapy for chronic hepatitis C with genotype 2 and low viral load: A pilot, randomized study

Table 1 Characteristics of treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 2 and low viral load at the start of treatment (mean ± SD)

	4-wk treatment group (n = 22)	12-wk treatment group (n = 11)
Gender (M/F)	10/12	6/5
Age (yr)	57 ± 10	56 ± 12
Body weight (kg)	58.5 ± 10.7	60.6 ± 10.4
Body mass index (kg/m2)	23.0 ± 2.9	21.8 ± 2.2
History of transfusion (yes/no)	10/12	3/8
Initial dosage (180 μg/90 μg)	20/2	9/2
Aspartate transaminase (IU/L)	53 ± 27	55 ± 32
Alanine transaminase (IU/L)	75 ± 35	77 ± 36
γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (IU/L)	52 ± 24	48 ± 30
Albumin (g/dL)	4.3 ± 0.3	4.2 ± 0.3
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	169 ± 22	182 ± 35
Platelet count (× 103/μL)	157 ± 58	165 ± 62
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	13.3 ± 1.6	13.6 ± 1.8
Leukocyte count (/μL)	4700 ± 1500	5300 ± 900
Neutrophil count (/μL)	2490 ± 1140	2550 ± 613
Liver histology
Stage (1/2/3/4)	9/5/5/0	5/4/2/0
Grade (mild/moderate/severe)	11/8/0	8/3/0
Steatosis (mild/moderate/severe)	15/4/0	9/2/0
Viral load (KIU/mL)	24 ± 21	24 ± 22