Single dose dexamethasone prophylaxis of postembolisation syndrome after chemoembolisation in hepatocellular carcinoma patient: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Table 1 Baseline characteristics

	Dexamethasome (n = 49)		Placebo (n = 51)		P value
	n	%	n	%
Sex					0.721
Male	40	81.60	43	84.30
Female	9	18.40	8	15.70
Age (yr)					0.679
mean ± SD	61.18 ± 11.13		61.82 ± 10.68
Size (cm)					0.154
Median (min-max)	3.9	(0.40-18.30)	5.4	(0.80-18.00)	0.061
> 3 cm	30	61.20	40	78.40
Etiology					0.209
Hepatitis B	22	44.90	22	43.10
Hepatitis C	17	34.70	14	27.50
Cryptogenic	3	6.10	11	21.60
Alcoholic cirrhosis	5	10.20	3	5.90
NASH	1	2.00	0	0
BCLC staging					0.154
A	11	22.40	7	13.70
B	36	73.50	44	86.30
ECOG performance status					0.845
0	7	14.30	10	19.60
1	39	79.60	39	76.50
Child-Pugh class					0.511
A	41	83.70	45	88.20
B	8	16.30	6	11.80
AFP level					0.72
None	46	93.90	50	98.00
> 400 ng/mL	10	20.40	9	17.60
No of TACE					0.744
1	29	59.20	31	60.80
2	9	18.40	9	17.60
Embolization agent					0.619
Lipiodol plus doxorubicin	15	30.60	18	35.30
Lipiodol plus mitomycin-C	34	69.40	33	64.70
Lipiodol dose					0.483
mean ± SD	10.67 ± 3.01		10.14 ± 1.60
Level of embolisation					0.612
Right branch	30	61.20	36	70.60
Left branch	11	22.40	8	15.70
Main trunk	7	14.30	7	13.70
Diabetes mellitus					0.806
None	30	61.20	30	58.80
Diabetes mellitus	19	38.80	21	41.20

NASH: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; BCLC: Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.

Table 2 Univariate and multivariate analysis of factors associated with the development of postembolization syndrome

Factors	Univariate analysis			Multivariate analysis
	OR	95%CI	P value	OR	95%CI	P value
Size > 3 cm	4.2	1.672-10.553	0.002a	3.661	1.395-9.605	0.008a
Dexamethasone	0.242	0.105-0.559	0.001a	0.271	0.114-0.647	0.003a

^aP < 0.05.