TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma cases and controls: EPIC1
| Hepatocellular carcinoma |
|||
| Variables | Cases (n = 125) | Controls (n = 250) | P2 |
| Female sex,3 % | 32.0 | 32.0 | 0.31 |
| Age,3 y | 60.1 ± 6.64 | 60.1 ± 6.6 | 0.43 |
| University degree, % | 16.0 | 19.6 | 0.06 |
| Physically inactive, % | 8.8 | 13.6 | 0.04 |
| Smoker, % | 38.4 | 18.8 | <0.0001 |
| Coffee intake, mL/d | 394.2 ± 440.7 | 448.0 ± 431.1 | 0.06 |
| Tea intake, mL/d | 124.3 ± 271.5 | 151.1 ± 273.3 | 0.16 |
| Alcohol intake, g/d | 20.8 ± 33.1 | 15.4 ± 19.6 | 0.01 |
| Patients with diabetes, % | 12.8 | 6.4 | 0.03 |
| Fruit intake, g/d | 211.8 ± 167.0 | 238.1 ± 208.8 | 0.04 |
| Vegetable intake, g/d | 171.4 ± 133.2 | 193.8 ± 142.9 | 0.007 |
| Total energy intake, kcal/d | 2144 ± 639.4 | 2199 ± 574.9 | 0.24 |
| Anthropometric factors | |||
| BMI, kg/m2 | 28.1 ± 5.27 | 27.0 ± 3.9 | 0.003 |
| Waist circumference, cm | 97.1 ± 15.1 | 92.6 ± 11.2 | <0.0001 |
| Waist-to-hip ratio | 0.93 ± 0.09 | 0.91 ± 0.08 | <0.0001 |
| NAFLD,5 % | 48.3 | 29.2 | <0.02 |
| Hepatitis infection (HBsAg + HCVAg) seropositivity, % | 10.7 | 3.5 | <0.0001 |
| Biomarkers | |||
| Immune and inflammatory reaction | |||
| CRP, mg/L | 4.89 ± 9.06 | 2.03 ± 2.65 | <0.0001 |
| IL-6, pg/mL | 5.86 ± 12.03 | 2.11 ± 1.69 | 0.0002 |
| Metabolic dysfunction | |||
| C-peptide, ng/mL | 3.89 ± 2.65 | 2.62 ± 1.74 | 0.005 |
| Fetuin A, μg/mL | 213.0 ± 50.1 | 202.8 ± 42.2 | 0.008 |
| Adiponectin, μg/mL | 6.5 ± 4.2 | 5.3 ± 2.7 | <0.0001 |
| Leptin, ng/mL | 12.9 ± 11.7 | 10.4 ± 10.2 | 0.003 |
| Hepatocellular /necroinflammatory/ injury | |||
| GLDH, μmol · s−1 · L−1 | 165.0 ± 154.5 | 90.2 ± 101.2 | <0.0001 |
| ALT, U/L | 46.0 ± 41.0 | 20.9 ± 14.1 | <0.0001 |
| AST, U/L | 52.7 ± 44.2 | 20.9 ± 9.4 | <0.0001 |
| LDH, U/L | 170.2 ± 37.9 | 155.8 ± 36.9 | <0.0001 |
| Cholestatic injury | |||
| GGT, U/L | 167.3 ± 248.8 | 33.1 ± 41.1 | <0.0001 |
| ALP, U/L | 99.9 ± 77.2 | 63.2 ± 18.4 | <0.0001 |
| Global decrease in liver synthesizing capacity | |||
| Albumin, g/L | 39.1 ± 4.4 | 42.1 ± 3.3 | <0.0001 |
| Total bilirubin, μmol/L | 12.9 ± 11.1 | 8.4 ± 4.2 | <0.0001 |
| Total protein, g/L | 72.7 ± 6.1 | 71.0 ± 5.5 | <0.0001 |
| Hepatocarcinogenesis | |||
| AFP, kUI/L | 267.0 ± 179.3 | 3.85 ± 2.52 | <0.0001 |
| Iron metabolism | |||
| Iron, μmol/L | 21.5 ± 8.9 | 18.4 ± 5.8 | <0.0001 |
| Ferritin, μmol/L | 323.8 ± 56.0 | 156.2 ± 166.8 | <0.0001 |
| Transferrin, mg/mL | 2.42 ± 0.42 | 2.40 ± 0.30 | 0.74 |
AFP, α-fetoprotein; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; CRP, C-reactive protein; EPIC, European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition; GGT, γ-glutamyltransferase; GLDH, glutamate dehydrogenase; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; HCVAg, hepatitis C virus antigen; LDH, lactatate dehydrogenase; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Case-control differences were assessed by using Student’s paired t test, Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test, McNemar’s test, or Bowker's test of symmetry, where appropriate.
Sex and age at recruitment were among the matching criteria.
Mean ± SD (all such values).
NAFLD was defined by using modified NAFLD diagnostic panel scoring for each of the following factors: BMI (in kg/m2) ≥28 (1 point), age at study recruitment >45 y (1 point), AST:ALT ratio ≥0.8 (1 point), reported diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (1 point), and serum albumin <35 g/L (1 point). Scores ≥3 were considered to indicate NAFLD (24, 25).