Subjects
This case-control study was conducted between March and July 2019 at the
Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department of Harran
University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey. The study included 74
patients with HCV and 88 subjects without HCV infection as the control
group. CHC was diagnosed based on the presence of anti-HCV antibodies
and HCV-RNA positivity. Seven cases had been previously treated and
relapsed, while 67 patients were treatment-naïve.
A detailed medical history of all participants was obtained, and
physical examinations and laboratory tests were performed. Patients with
malignancy, hematological disease, endocrine disorder (excluding
diabetes mellitus), HIV infection, hepatitis A or B virus infection,
liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and other chronic liver
diseases, pregnancy, antioxidant medication use, or the use of alcohol
and/or vitamin supplements were excluded from the study. This study was
approved by the Harran University School of Medicine Ethics Committee
Commission (protocol number HRU/19.03.31). Written informed consent was
obtained from all participants before blood samples were collected.