Handgrip Strength and Vitamin D as Predictors of Liver Fibrosis and Malnutrition in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients
Table 1
Demographic data, laboratory, physical activity, diet scores, and histological characteristics of chronic hepatitis C patients and healthy control subjects.
Characteristics
All CHC patients, , (%)
Healthy controls, , (%)
value
No.
80
80
—
Age (year)
0.11
Gender (male/female)
60/20
60/20
0.18
Anthropometry
0.001
BMI
WHtR
Muscle mass
0.001
MAC (in cm)
TSF (in mm)
MAMC (in mm)
Diet measurements
0.001
Diet score
Dietary vitamin D intake (IU/d)
Dietary Ca intake (mg/d)
SGA
0.001
A (well nourished)
12 (15%)
76 (95%)
B (moderately malnourished)
25 (31.3%)
4 (5%)
C (severely malnourished)
43 (53.7%)
0 (0%)
PA
0.001
Total PA (counts/min)
MVPA (%)
14.6
85.9
Total energy (kcal/d)
Sun exposure (h/day)
0.001
Handgrip (kg)
0.001
Right hand
Left hand
AST (IU/mL)
0.001
ALT (IU/mL)
0.001
Albumin
0.001
Bilirubin
0.001
TNF-α (pg/mL)
0.001
AFP
0.001
Vitamin 25(OH)D (ng/mL)
0.001
PTH (pg/mL)
0.001
Platelets (109/L)
0.001
Duration of HCV (years)
—
—
HCV-RNA (IU/mL)
—
—
HCV genotypes
—
G4
62 (77.5%)
—
G2 and 4
18 (22%)
—
Viral load
—
—
Stage of fibrosis (METAVIR), (%)
74/80 (92.3%)
—
—
F0
6 (7.5%)
F1
12 (15%)
F2
15 (18.75%)
F3
22 (27.5%)
F4
25 (31.3%)
Population,
—
—
F0-F1
18 (22.5%)
F2-F4
62 (77.5%)
F0-F3
55 (68.75%)
F4
25 (31.3%)
Mean length of liver biopsy core ()
cm
—
—
Mean number of portal tracts ()
—
—
Necroinflammation
—
—
A0–A1
25 (31.3%)
A2–A3
55 (68.7%)
All values were reported as the or median (interquartile range) or percentage. Kruskal–Wallis one-way ANOVA and post hoc (Tukey HSD) test were used to compare the mean values of the studied variables. Variables were considered significantly different at . BMI: body mass index; WHtR: waist to height ratio; MVPA: moderate to vigorous physical activity; PA: physical activity; HGS: handgrip strength; SGA: subjective global assessment; AFP: α-Fetoprotein; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-alpha; MAC: midarm circumference in cm; TSF: triceps skin fold thickness in mm; MAMC: midarm muscle circumference in mm.