Prognostic significance of baseline C-reactive protein/albumin ratio for long-term outcomes in advanced gastric cancer under immunochemotherapy

Table 1 Baseline characteristics stratified by C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (< 0.21 vs ≥ 0.21), mean ± SD/n (%)

Variables	Total (n = 200)	High CAR (n = 80)	Low CAR (n = 120)	Statistic	P value
Neutrophil	3.91 ± 2.32	4.05 ± 2.44	3.81 ± 2.24	t = 0.72	0.475
Lymphocyte	1.38 ± 0.59	1.36 ± 0.67	1.39 ± 0.53	t = -0.37	0.713
Albumin	39.24 ± 5.73	36.59 ± 6.29	41.01 ± 4.55	t = -5.42	< 0.001
CRP	17.33 ± 27.09	39.74 ± 31.52	2.38 ± 2.28	t = 10.58	< 0.001
CAR	0.49 ± 0.79	1.13 ± 0.94	0.06 ± 0.06	t = 10.14	< 0.001
Sex				χ2 = 1.42	0.233
Female	75 (37.50)	26 (32.50)	49 (40.83)
Male	125 (62.50)	54 (67.50)	71 (59.17)
Age				χ2 = 0.42	0.515
< 60 years	78 (39.00)	29 (36.25)	49 (40.83)
≥ 60 years	122 (61.00)	51 (63.75)	71 (59.17)
BMI				χ2 = 1.00	0.318
< 25	166 (83.00)	69 (86.25)	97 (80.83)
≥ 25	34 (17.00)	11 (13.75)	23 (19.17)
CEA				χ2 = 2.54	0.111
< 3	79 (39.50)	37 (46.25)	42 (35.00)
≥ 3	121 (60.50)	43 (53.75)	78 (65.00)
CA199				χ2 = 1.03	0.309
< 37	126 (63.00)	47 (58.75)	79 (65.83)
≥ 37	74 (37.00)	33 (41.25)	41 (34.17)
ECOG PS				χ2 = 2.08	0.149
0	72 (36.00)	24 (30.00)	48 (40.00)
1	128 (64.00)	56 (70.00)	72 (60.00)
Staging				χ2 = 0.48	0.487
III	91 (45.50)	34 (42.50)	57 (47.50)
IV	109 (54.50)	46 (57.50)	63 (52.50)
Differentiation				χ2 = 2.08	0.149
Poorly/undifferentiated	180 (90.00)	75 (93.75)	105 (87.50)
Medium/high	20 (10.00)	5 (6.25)	15 (12.50)
Site				χ2 = 0.00	0.949
Gastric and esophageal binding	58 (29.00)	23 (28.75)	35 (29.17)
Stomach	142 (71.00)	57 (71.25)	85 (70.83)
Peritoneal metastasis				χ2 = 2.84	0.092
No	157 (78.50)	58 (72.50)	99 (82.50)
Yes	43 (21.50)	22 (27.50)	21 (17.50)
Liver metastasis				χ2 = 3.54	0.060
No	156 (78.00)	57 (71.25)	99 (82.50)
Yes	44 (22.00)	23 (28.75)	21 (17.50)
EBV status				χ2 = 1.66	0.198
No-infect	187 (93.50)	77 (96.25)	110 (91.67)
Infect	13 (6.50)	3 (3.75)	10 (8.33)
PD-L1 expression				χ2 = 2.29	0.130
CPS < 5	87 (43.50)	40 (50.00)	47 (39.17)
CPS ≥ 5	113 (56.50)	40 (50.00)	73 (60.83)
MMR status				χ2 = 2.24	0.135
pMMR	168 (84.00)	71 (88.75)	97 (80.83)
dMMR	32 (16.00)	9 (11.25)	23 (19.17)

CAR: C-reactive protein/albumin ratio; CRP: C-reactive protein; BMI: Body mass index; CEA: Carcinoembryonic-antigen; CA199: Carbohydrate antigen 199; ECOG PS: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; EBV: Epstein-Barr virus; PD-L1: Programmed death-ligand 1; CPS: Combined positive score; MMR: Mismatch repair; pMMR: Proficient mismatch repair; dMMR: Deficient mismatch repair.