Clinical Study
Improved Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels after Iron Reduction Therapy in HCV Patients
Table 1
Clinical findings before and after phlebotomy in 26 HCV patients.
| | Variables | Pretreatment | Posttreatment | value |
| | Age (yr) mean ± S.D. | 63 ± 18 | | | | Gender (male/female) | 10/16 | | | | Previous antiviral therapy (naïve/treatment experienced) | (21/5) | | | | AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) | 1.8 (0.8–6.0) | | | Total volume of blood
removed (L) mean ± S.D. | | 2.2 ± 10 | | Treatment period (month)
mean ± S.D. | | 8.3 ± 4.5 | | | Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 14.2 (12.3–15.7) | 11.1 (8.7–13.0) | <0.001 | | Platelet (×104/μL) | 12.0 (3.8–22.8) | 14.8 (5.6–31.9) | <0.001 | | Total bilirubin (mg/dL) | 0.8 (0.4–1.6) | 0.7 (0.2–1.1) | <0.001 | | ALT (IU/L) | 96 (32–364) | 50 (27–96) | <0.001 | | GGT (IU/L) | 55 (14–356) | 28 (9–113) | <0.001 | | Ferritin (ng/mL) | 191 (18–1010) | 10 (4–43) | <0.001 | | Iron saturation (%) | 6.7 (2.7–19.0) | 10.3 (4.1–43.0) | <0.001 | | AFP (ng/mL) | 13 (3–153) | 7 (2–17) | <0.001 |
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Unless otherwise indicated, values represent median (range).
AST: aspartate aminotransferase, ALT: alanine aminotransferase, GGT: gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and AFP: alpha-fetoprotein.
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