Table 3: Comparison of the main characteristics of homozygous (SS) sickle cell disease patients according to their HCV status.
| Characteristics# | HCV-negative n = 136 | HCV-positive n = 17 | P |
| Age, years | 30 [24-36] | 44 [38-51.5] | < 0.001*** |
| Male, n (%) | 46/133 (34.5) | 10/17 (59) | 0.05 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) Hypertension, n (%) History of red blood cell transfusion, n (%) Origin Sub-Saharan Africa North Africa West Indies Caucasian North America or Brazil |
21.1 [19.4-23.7] 5/120 (4) 103/121 (85) 98/130 (75.5) 3/130 (2.3) 21/130 (16) 7/130 (5.5) 3/130 (2.3) |
22.2 [20.4-25.4] 6/16 (37.5) 16/17 (94) 10/16 (62.5) 0/16 (0) 6/16 (37.5) 0/16 (0) 0/16 (0) |
0.85 0.0003*** 0.47 0.36 1.00 0.08 1.00 1.00 |
| Haemoglobin, g/dL | 8.6 [7.8-9.6] | 8.7 [7.1-9.55] | 0.51 |
| Foetal haemoglobin, % | 6.7 [3.25-12] | 5 [1-13] | 0.34 |
| Reticulocytes, 109/L | 244 [183.5-340.4] | 240.5 [178-364] | 0.62 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase, IU/L | 414.5 [305.5-535.5] | 485 [348.5-683] | 0.09 |
| Lactate dehydrogenase, IU/L | 414.5 [305.5-535.5] | 485 [348.5-683] | 0.09 |
| Total bilirubin, μmol/L | 41 [27-57.5] | 41 [20-69.5] | 0.62 |
| Conjugated bilirubin, μmol/L | 10 [7-13] | 10.5 [8-15.5] | 0.34 |
| AST, IU/L | 38 [30-52] | 41 [34.5-62] | 0.20 |
| ALT, IU/L | 25.5 [17-38] | 27 [19-35.5] | 0.77 |
| Prothrombin time, % | 80.5 [70-90] | 87 [74.5-92] | 0.40 |
| Liver failure, n (%) | 0 | 1(6) | 0.12 |
| GFR, ml/min/1.73m2 | 127 [116-141] | 108 [74-120.5] | 0.001** |
| Creatinine level, μmol/L | 53 [45-63] | 63 [53.5-103] | 0.005** |
| Urine albumin-to-creatine ratio, mg/mmol ratio > 10 | 2.76 [1-9.1] 22/100 (22) |
3.2 [0.8-25.9] 4/12 (33) |
0.71 0.47 |
| Acute chest syndrome, n (%) | 92/127 (72) | 10/17 (59) | 0.10 |
| 1 episode 2-4 episodes > 4 episodes |
21/89 (23.5) 42/89 (47.3) 26/89 (29.2) |
1/9 (11.1) 8/9 (88.9) 0 |
|
| Vaso-occlusive crisis*, n (%) 1 episode 2 episodes > 2 episodes |
116/125 (93) 1/109 (0.9) 65/109 (59.6) 43/109 (39.5) |
15/17 (88) 4/14 (28.6) 7/14 (50) 3/14 (21.4) |
0.62 |
| Chronic complications of SCD: | |||
| - Nephropathy, n (%) | 58/125 (46.5) | 12/17 (70.5) | 0.06 |
| - Retinopathy, n (%) | 57/128 (44.5) | 8/17 (47) | 0.84 |
| - Avascular osteonecrosis, n (%) | 42/122 (34.5) | 5/17 (29.5) | 0.68 |
| - Leg ulcer, n (%) | 16/124 (13) | 6/17 (35.5) | 0.03* |
| - Priapism, n (%) | 11/46 (23.9) | 3/10 (30) | 0.69 |
| - Priapism, n (%) | 11/46 (23.9) | 3/10 (30) | 0.69 |
| - Pulmonary arterial hypertension, n (%) | 20/125 (16) | 5/17 (35.5) | 0.18 |
| - Cardiomyopathy, n (%) | 45/127 (35.5) | 6/17 (35.5) | 1.00 |
| - Acute heart insufficiency, n (%) | 5/121 (4) | 1/17 (6) | 0.55 |
| - Cerebral vasculopathy**, n (%) | 15/122 (12) | 3/17 (17.5) | 0.46 |
| - Stroke, n (%) | 10/121 (8.5) | 2/17 (12) | 0.64 |
| Hemochromatosis, n (%) | 32/128 (25) | 8/17 (47) | 0.08 |
| HBV infection markers, n (%) HBc Ab +, HBs Ag - HBs Ag + HIV infection, n (%) |
28/89 (31.5) 1/120 (0.8) 1/116 (0.9) |
10/13 (77) 1/16 (6) 0/15 (0) |
0.008** 0.22 1.00 |
*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01,***p < 0.001.
Continuous variables are expressed in median [IQR]. HCV = hepatitis C virus; AST = aspartate aminotransferase; ALT = alanine aminotransferase; SCD = sickle cell disease; GFR = glomerular filtration rate; HBV = hepatitis B virus; Ab = antibody; Ag = antigen; HIV = human immunodeficiency virus.
*Vaso-occlusive crisis requiring hospitalization (mean of the two last years); **Cerebral vasculopathy was defined as the presence of Moya-Moya, aneurysm or vascular stenosis, with or without episode of stroke; #Homozygous (SS) SCD patients not screened for HCV status were not included in this analysis (n = 25).