Table 3

Correlations between TGF-β1 and other parameters


CHC N = 36
FL N = 45
NASH N = 42

CRP
ND
TGF-β1
TGF-β1


r = 0.37
r = 0.29


P = 0.08
P = 0.055

ALT
TGF-β1
TGF-β1
TGF-β1

r = -0.02
r = -0.13
r = -0.34

P = 0.9
P = 0.38
P = 0.026

BMI
TGF-β1
TGF-β1
TGF-β1

rho = 0.13
rho = 0.18
rho = 0.09

P = 0.46
P = 0.22
P = 0.56

US score
ND
TGF-β1
TGF-β1


rho = -0.08
rho = 0.05


P = 0.57
P = 0.72

Fibrosis score
TGF-β1
ND
TGF-β1

rho = -0.09

rho = 0.05

P = 0.60

P = 0.75

Age
TGF-β1
TGF-β1
TGF-β1

r = -0.02
r = 0.02
r = -0.009

P = 0.9
P = 0.9
P = 0.9

CHC, chronic hepatitis C; FL, fatty liver; NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; CRP, C reactive protein; TGF-β1, transforming growth factor beta1; BMI, body mass index; US score, hepatic steatosis score at ultrasound; r, Pearson's correlation coefficient and rho, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, chosen according to the variable distribution (normal or not normal as well as being ordinals, respectively); ND, not determined.

Tarantino et al. Journal of Translational Medicine 2008 6:72   doi:10.1186/1479-5876-6-72