Table 1 Description of response and explanatory variables subjected to decision tree analyses
Variable abbreviation | Description & definition | Measurement units |
|---|---|---|
Response variable | ||
HBSA | Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (marker of HBV infection) | Positive (1) or |
HepC | Patient antibody to HCV, indicating contact with virus (Both HBSA and HepC detected by immunoassay) | Negative (0) |
Explanatory variable | ||
Age | Patient (case) Age | Years |
Sex | Gender: 1 = F, 2 = M | M or F |
ALT | Alanine aminotransferase (An intracellular enzyme released in after liver & other tissue cell damage) | U/L |
GGT | Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (An intracellular enzyme also relevant to liver damage) | U/L |
Hb | Haemoglobin | g/L |
Hct | Haematocrit (formerly known as “packed cell volume”) | % |
Mch | Mean corpuscular haemoglobin | pg/RBC |
MCHC | Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration | g/L |
MCV | Mean corpuscular volume | fL |
Plt | Platelets (blood clotting) | x 109/L |
WCC | White cell count | x 109/L |
RCC | Red cell count | x 1012/L |
RDW | Red cell distribution width | % |
Neut | Neutrophil. White blood cell, elevated by bacterial infection and early viral infection | x 109/L |
Lymph | Lymphocyte. White blood cell, elevated by viral infection and some cancers | x 109/L |
Mono | Monocyte. White blood cell, elevated by infection, inflammation, some cancers. | x 109/L |
Eos | Eosinophil. White blood cell, elevated by allergy and parasite infection | x 109/L |
Bas | Basophils. White blood cell, elevated in hypersensitivity reactions. | x 109/L |