Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who were treated with PegIFN-α-2a plus ribavirin (Group 1) and those who were treated with PegIFN-α-2b plus ribavirin (Group 2)

Sex (n, %)

0.045 ^b

0.831

 Female

31 (56.4)

14 (53.8)

 Male

24 (43.6)

12 (46.2)

Age at recruitment (years)

52.8 ± 12.2

55.0 ± 11.5

0.747 ^c

0.457

Body weight (kg)

65.7 ± 12.1

63.8 ± 12.8

0.644 ^c

0.521

Alcohol use disorder (n, %)

7 (12.7)

1 (3.8)

1.564 ^d

0.426

Number of physical illness

2.8 ± 1.8

2.4 ± 1.2

1.287 ^c

0.203

α-fetoprotein level (ng/mL)

10.6 ± 15.8

7.6 ± 5.9

0.903 ^c

0.369

Genotype of HCV ^a

0.104 ^b

0.747

 1

27 (50)

14 (53.8)

 Non-1

27 (50)

12 (46.2)

PegIFN-α-2a dose (mcg/week)

175.1 ± 14.2

-

N/A

N/A

PegIFN-α-2b dose (mcg/week)

-

94.8 ± 12.4

N/A

N/A

Ribavirin dose (mg/day)

1048.2 ± 164.5

958.3 ± 131.6

2.357 ^c

0.021^*

HADS-Depression score

5.0 ± 3.8

4.0 ± 3.1

1.008 ^e

0.314

Depressive state (n, %)

14 (25.5)

3 (11.5)

2.062 ^d

0.242

HADS-Anxiety score

6.6 ± 4.1

6.7 ± 4.7

0.193 ^e

0.847

Anxiety state (n, %)

21 (38.2)

6 (23.1)

1.813 ^b

0.214