Table 2.

Comparison of clinical characteristics between single-MAFLD, mixed-MAFLD, and non-MAFLD HCC

Variable	Single-MAFLD vs. mixed-MAFLD				Mixed-MAFLD vs. non-MAFLD				Single-MAFLD vs. non-MAFLD
	Sample size (number of studies)	Effect size (95% CI)	P-value	I²	Sample size (number of studies)	Effect size (95% CI)	P-value	I²	Sample size (number of studies)	Effect size (95% CI)	P-value	I²
Age	5,401 (3)	MD 5.82 (–0.64 to 12.28)	0.077	97.7%	12,606 (9)	MD 0.32 (–0.78 to 1.42)	0.57	80.3%	5,050 (3)	MD 6.64 (1.87 to 11.40)	0.006*	95.6%
Female (%)	5,401 (3)	OR 1.22 (0.47 to 3.16)	0.68	93.5%	12,606 (9)	1.12 (0.67 to 1.87)	0.67	96.9%	5,050 (3)	OR 1.21 (1.02 to 1.43)	0.028*	0.0%
AFP	5,158 (2)	MD –3.95 (–73.25 to 65.35)	0.91	68.5%	7,955 (5)	MD –120.44 (–240.98 to 0.10)	0.050	94.1%	3,901 (2)	MD –166.34 (–265.15 to –67.52)	0.001*	77.5%
Platelets	696 (2)	MD 48.06 (–6.51 to 102.63)	0.084	88.1%	3,192 (4)	MD 5.74 (0.44 to 11.05)	0.034*	0.0%	1,692 (2)	MD 51.27 (–11.42 to 113.97)	0.11	91.4%
Cirrhosis	5,327 (3)	OR 0.24 (0.10 to 0.58)	0.002*	84.3%	10,008 (7)	OR 1.05 (0.90 to 1.23)	0.5377	21.0%	4,860 (3)	OR 0.27 (0.15 to 0.51)	<0.001*	75.6%
Largest HCC diameter	4,948 (2)	MD 0.08 (–0.99 to 1.15)	0.88	80.1%	8,861 (5)	MD –0.17 (–0.36 to 0.01)	0.0630	58.7%	4,507 (2)	MD –0.46 (–2.31 to 1.38)	0.62	94.8%
Macrovascular invasion	4,948 (2)	OR 1.06 (0.88 to 1.28)	0.56	0.0%	7,279 (3)	OR 0.63 (0.45 to 0.87)	0.005*	55.5%	4,507 (2)	OR 0.78 (0.62 to 0.97)	0.029*	4.1%
Metastatic spread	4,705 (1)	OR 1.71 (1.30 to 2.25)	<0.001*	N/A	6,021 (2)	OR 0.84 (0.41 to 1.73)	0.64	86.2%	3,358 (1)	OR 2.03 (1.48 to 2.79)	<0.001*	N/A

MAFLD, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; CI, confidence interval; AFP, alpha fetoprotein; OR, odds ratio; MD, mean difference.

^*Statistical significance, P<0.05.