Interferon Alpha on Expression of hTERT mRNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Table 1

Clinical baseline characteristics of the study groups.

	IFNα-treated Group; (𝑛=37)	CHB control group; (𝑛=36)	Healthy control group; (𝑛=10)	P-value
Male	25 (67.6)	28 (77.8)	6 (60)	.56
Median age in year (range)	27.3 (20–48)	28.6 (23–55)	30.6 (24–45)	.68
No. of HBeAg + patients	31 (83.8)	25 (69.4)	N/A	.65
Median ALT (range), IU/L	148.3 (83–288)	132.8 (83–352)	N/A	.61
Median HBV DNA load (range), log copies/ml	7.6 (5.2–9.4)	7.2 (4.8–8.7)	N/A	.72
HBV genotype (no. of patients)	Type B (11)	Type B (8)		.47
	Type C (23)	Type C (25)	N/A	.51
	Other (3)	Other (3)		.97
Median CD3 count (range), 10^6 cell/L	1138 (971–1493)	1278 (856–1387)	N/A	.72
Median ratio of CD4/CD8 (range)	1.72 (1.13–2.57)	1.58 (1.26–2.63)	N/A	.51

Note. Date are no. (%) of patients, unless otherwise indicated; HBeAg+: positive for hepatitis B e antigen; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; HBV: hepatitis B virus; N/A, not applicable.