Influence of percutaneous local therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma on gastric function

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of the subjects

Sex (male/female)	27/17
Age (yr), means ± SD	69.7 ± 8.0
Cause of liver dysfunction
HBV	5
HCV	30
Alcoholic	3
PBC	1
NBNC	5
Child-Pugh A/B	33/11
Therapy
PELI	7
PELI-RFA	6
PEI-RFA	18
RFA	13

PELI-RFA: Combination of percutaneous ethanol-lipiodol injection and radio frequency ablation (RFA); PEI-RFA: Combination of percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) and RFA; PBC: Primary biliary cirrhosis; NBNC: Negative for both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Table 2 Clinical characteristics of Child A and B patients

	Child A group	Child B group
Sex (male/female)	23/10	4/7
Age (yr)	69.4 ± 8.0	70.6 ± 8.8
Cause of liver dysfunction
HBV	4	1
HCV	23	7
Alcoholic	2	1
PBC	0	1
NBNC	4	1

PBC: Primary biliary cirrhosis; NBNC: Negative for both hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Table 3 Relationship between the liver function classification of cirrhotic patients electrogastrography results and the comparisons between before and after therapy (mean ± SE)

	Child A (n = 33)	Child B (n = 11)	P value	Before	After	P value
Fasting EGG
DF (circles/min)	2.89 ± 0.08	2.73 ± 0.18	NS	2.89 ± 0.07	2.84 ± 0.08	NS
Normogastria	84.0% ± 3.8%	66.8% ± 8.6%	< 0.05	81.6% ± 3.5%	75.2% ± 4.5%	< 0.05
Bradygastria	14.8% ± 3.8%	30.1% ± 8.8%	NS	16.6% ± 3.5%	23.2% ± 4.3%	NS
Tachygastria	1.7% ± 5.5%	1.6% ± 6.1%	NS	1.7% ± 0.9%	1.6% ± 0.9%	NS
Post-meal EGG
DF (circles/min)	2.53 ± 0.09	2.56 ± 0.14	NS	2.55 ± 0.08	2.67 ± 0.08	NS
Normogastria	54.9% ± 4.8%	51.7% ± 8.3%	NS	54.9% ± 4.3%	53.8% ± 4.3%	NS
Bradygastria	43.2% ± 4.8%	40.5% ± 8.2%	NS	41.5% ± 4.3%	37.5% ± 4.0%	NS
Tachygastria	1.9% ± 1.0%	7.8% ± 4.8%	NS	3.6% ± 1.5%	8.7% ± 3.0%	NS
PR of bradygastria	2.3 ± 0.4	2.2 ± 0.8	NS	2.3 ± 0.4	1.9 ± 0.2	NS
PR of normogastria	1.4 ± 0.2	1.4 ± 0.3	NS	1.4 ± 0.2	1.4 ± 0.1	NS
PR of tachygastria	2.2 ± 0.3	2.3 ± 0.7	NS	2.2 ± 0.3	0.7 ± 0.1	< 0.01

DF: Dominant frequency; PR: Power ratio; NS: Not significant; EGG: Electrogastrography.

Table 4 Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale before therapy in Child A and Child B groups and before and after therapy (mean ± SE)

	Child A	Child B	P value	Before	After	P value
GSRS score	1.5 ± 0.1	1.7 ± 0.3	NS	1.5 ± 0.1	1.6 ± 0.1	NS
Reflux	1.4 ± 0.1	1.4 ± 0.3	NS	1.4 ± 0.1	1.4 ± 0.2	NS
Abdominal pain	1.3 ± 0.1	1.6 ± 0.2	NS	1.4 ± 0.1	1.6 ± 1.2	NS
Indigestion	1.4 ± 0.1	1.9 ± 0.3	NS	1.6 ± 0.1	1.6 ± 0.1	NS
Diarrhea	1.3 ± 0.1	1.5 ± 0.2	NS	1.4 ± 0.1	1.6 ± 0.1	NS
Constipation	1.8 ± 0.2	2.2 ± 0.4	NS	1.9 ± 0.2	1.9 ± 0.2	NS

NS: Not significant; GSRS: Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale.

Table 5 Clinical factors associated with decreases in the %normogastria after treatment using regression analysis

	Regression coefficient	95%CI		P value	Partial regression coefficient	95%CI		P value
Sex (M)	-10.77	-27.34	5.79	0.196	-11.58	-29.4	6.25	0.196
Age(yr)	1.05	0.07	2.04	0.037	0.73	-0.45	1.91	0.22
Ethanol (use)	20.6	3.75	37.46	0.018	13.99	-3.88	31.87	0.121
Tumor location (left lobe)	-12.26	-32.3	7.78	0.224	-11.83	-32.05	8.39	0.243
Tumor size (cm)	-5.78	-14.32	2.77	0.18	-6.6	-14.89	1.68	0.115
RFA (use)	-0.54	-23.04	21.96	0.962	-5.74	-27.61	16.13	0.598
Child-Pugh (score)	-4.52	-11.96	2.92	0.227	-8.05	-15.3	-0.8	0.031

Regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between decreases in the percentage of normogastria (%normogastria) after treatment and the following factors: patient sex, patient age, ethanol injection, location of the treated hepatoma (right or left lobe), tumor size (diameter), use of radio frequency ablation (RFA), and the Child-Pugh score.