Baseline and longitudinal biomarkers predict hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C: A cohort study

Table 3 Cox regression analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma relation to 3-years characteristic and biomarkers

Variable	Univariate		Multivariate
	HR (95%CI)	P value	aHR (95%CI)	P value
Demographics
Sex (male)	1.32 (0.81-2.15)	0.27	1.72 (0.64-4.66)	0.282
Age (per 1-year increase)	1.02 (1.00-1.05)	0.098	1.01 (0.96-1.06)	0.78
Biomarkers
AFP ≥ 20 (ng/mL)	9.27 (4.80-17.87)	< 0.001	6.74 (2.48-18.33)	< 0.001
Cr ≥ 1 (mg/dL)	1.81 (1.00-3.27)	0.049	0.92 (0.35-2.39)	0.859
T-Bil ≥ 1 (mg/dL)	2.92 (1.38-6.20)	0.005	2.57 (0.96-6.88)	0.06
PT ≥ 12 (second)	1.76 (0.69-4.47)	0.233	-	-
Alb < 3.5 (g/dL)	1.70 (0.70-4.16)	0.243	-	-
Disease severity
FIB-4 score
1.45-3.25	Reference
< 1.45	0.14 (0.02-1.06)	0.057	Not estimable1
> 3.25	2.75 (1.54-4.93)	0.001	2.30 (0.75-7.03)	0.143

¹Not estimable due to zero events (complete separation) in the fibrosis-4 < 1.45 group.

HR: Hazard ratio; aHR: Adjusted hazard ratio; 95%CI: 95% confidence interval; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; FIB-4: Fibrosis-4; Cr: Creatinine; T-Bil: Total bilirubin; PT: Prothrombin time; Alb: Albumin.