Figure 2.

Dose-dependent effects of Hb changes on the survival of cancer patients. (A) Dose-dependent effects of Hb change as a categorical variable were estimated by Cox proportional hazards model by categorizing Hb changes to −4 (∆Hb<−4), -3 (−4≤∆Hb<−3), -2 (−3≤∆Hb<−2), -1 (−2≤∆Hb<−1), 1 (1<∆Hb≤2), 2 (2<∆Hb≤3), 3 (3<∆Hb≤4), 4 (∆Hb>4), and 0 (−1≤∆Hb≤1) as reference. Solid spots indicated hazards ratios and the bars indicated 95% confidence intervals. (B) Dose-dependent effects of Hb change as a continuous variable were analyzed by fractional polynomial regression model. Solid lines indicated hazard ratios and the shaded areas showed 95% confidence intervals. Both analyses were adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, tumor stage, tumor grade, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Dash lines represented the references.