Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2022.
World J Hepatol. Jul 27, 2022; 14(7): 1480-1494
Published online Jul 27, 2022. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i7.1480
Table 1 Patient characteristics

HCV-positive (n = 83)
HCV-negative (n = 77)
P value
Sex (male/female)45/3850/270.20
Age (years)170 (44-90)64 (41-88)< 0.01
Tumor factors
Tumor number (solitary/multiple)63/2068/90.07
Tumor size (mm)117 (8-30)15 (6-30)0.05
Tumor form (only boundary/others)67/1668/90.20
Stage (LCSG) (I/II/III)39/38/645/27/50.35
Liver function
Child-Pugh Score (5-6/7-9)66/1766/11< 0.01
ALBI grade (1/2-3)27/5643/340.41
Blood data
Platelet (×104/µL)110.2 (2.7-43.7)11.8 (3.7-36.8)0.04
AST (U/L)156 (18-139)39 (16-100)< 0.01
ALT (U/L)149 (12-155)30 (9-87)< 0.01
FIB-4 index15.90 (0.96-37.86)3.61 (0.88-14.16)< 0.01
APRI12.00 (0.15-15.06)1.08 (0.28-4.32)< 0.01
PT (%)1 84.6 (48.6-125.0)81.3 (51.8-117.1)0.51
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)10.9 (0.2-2.8)0.9 (0.4-2.7)0.56
Albumin (g/dL)13.7 (2.2-4.7)4.0 (2.4-5.0)< 0.01
AFP (ng/mL)117.4 (3.0-621.6)6.4 (1.3-1962.9)< 0.01
DCP (mAU/mL)123 (4-1086)22 (7-6308)0.66
AFP-L3 (%)15.1 (< 0.5-69.1)< 0.5 (< 0.5-85.6)0.03
M2BPGi (COI)14.94 (0.78-17.81)1.86 (0.36-10.23)< 0.01
M2BP (ng/mL)15385 (1460-22770) 2745 (865-12150) < 0.01
SMI (cm2/m2)15.28 (2.62-11.75)6.51 (2.58-10.89)< 0.01
Pre-sarcopenia, n (%)21 (25.3)14 (18.2)0.34
Observation period (mo)146 (6-157)56 (6-185)0.19
Table 2 Factors contributing to survival in hepatitis C virus-positive patients
Subject
Univariate
Multivariate
P value
HR
95%CI
P value
Age (< 70/≥ 70 years)0.081.920.94-3.940.074
Sex (Female/Male)0.13
ALBI grade (1/2,3)0.061.810.84-3.900.129
Child-Pugh Score (5-6/7-15)0.15
Stage (LCSG) (I/II+III)0.47
Tumor number (solitary/multiple)0.97
Tumor form (only boundary/others)0.43
Tumor size (< 20 mm/≥ 20 mm)0.54
AFP (< 17.2/≥ 17.2 ng/mL)0.12
DCP (< 23/≥ 23 mAU/mL)< 0.012.541.23-5.230.012
AFP-L3 (< 10/≥ 10%)0.021.720.80-3.710.167
M2BPGi (< 4.94/≥ 4.94 COI)0.26
M2BP (< 5385/≥ 5385 ng/mL)0.24
APRI (< 2.0/≥ 2.0)0.58
FIB-4 index (< 4.5/≥ 4.5)0.31
Pre-sarcopenia (No/Yes)0.28
Table 3 Factors contributing to survival in hepatitis C virus-negative patients
Subject
Univariate
Multivariate
P value
HR
95%CI
P value
Age (< 65/≥ 65)0.03-
Sex (Female/Male)0.88
ALBI grade (1/2,3)< 0.012.410.81-7.120.115
Child-Pugh Score (5-6/7-15)< 0.01-
Stage (LCSG) (I/II+III)0.91
Tumor number (solitary/multiple)0.54
Tumor form (boundary/others)0.11
Tumor size (< 20 mm/≥ 20 mm)0.74
AFP (< 6.4/≥ 6.4 ng/mL)0.64
DCP (< 22/≥ 22 mAU/mL)0.23
AFP-L3 (< 10/≥ 10%)0.29
M2BPGi (< 1.86/≥ 1.86 COI)< 0.014.891.97-12.18< 0.001
M2BP (< 2745/≥ 2745 ng/mL)0.92
APRI (< 1.5/≥ 1.5)0.04-
FIB-4 index (< 3.6/≥ 3.6)< 0.011.860.63-5.440.257
Pre-sarcopenia (no/yes)0.043.341.19-9.370.022