Backward stepwise multinomial regression demonstrated that male sex (OR; 95% CI; p value) (2.84 (1.07, 7.53); p = 0.04), CMV positivity (4.18 (1.63, 10.73); p = 0.003), anti-HBc positivity (4.74 (1.53, 14.72); p = 0.007) and decreasing CD4+CD45RO+ telomere length (1.05 (1.02, 1.78); p = 0.003) were independently associated with severe HCV-related fibrosis (Table 2). The gene discussed is KRT88P; the disease is fibrosis.