Table 1.
Clinical, radiological and laboratory characteristics of the study population at the initial evaluation n (%)
| Variable | All treated patients (n = 70) |
| Demographics and indications | |
| Age at LT (yr) [median (IQRs)] | 57 (51-62) |
| Male gender | 62 (88.6) |
| Biochemical MELD Score [median (IQRs)] | 11 (7-15) |
| Child-Pugh class A/B/C | 29 (41.4)/27 (38.6)/14 (20.0) |
| Virus B-related cirrhosis | 15 (21.4) |
| Virus C-related cirrhosis | 41 (58.6) |
| Pre-TACE radiological evaluation | |
| Type of imaging technique (CT/MR) | 49 (70.0)/21 (30) |
| Exceeding Milan criteria | 22 (31.4) |
| Exceeding UCSF criteria | 12 (17.1) |
| Number of nodules [median (IQRs)] | 1 (1-2) |
| Single/multiple | 40 (57.1)/30 (42.9) |
| Sum of nodule diameters (cm) [median (IQRs)] | 3.35 (2.1-5.4) |
| Sum of nodule diameters > 5 cm | 22 (31.4) |
| Diameter of the largest nodule (cm) [median (IQRs)] | 2.6 (2.0-3.4) |
| Diameter of the largest nodule > 5 cm | 7 (10.0) |
| Pre-TACE laboratory evaluation | |
| 1AFP (ng/mL) [median (IQRs)] | 12.5 (5.8-52.0) |
| AFP > 400 ng/mL | 5 (8.1) |
| 2NLR [median (IQRs)] | 2.0 (1.4-3.1) |
| NLR > 4 | 13 (20.3) |
| 3PLR [median (IQRs)] | 67.2 (44.6-84.0) |
| PLR > 150 | 2 (3.1) |
| AST/ALT (U/L) [median (IQRs)] | 69 (43.7-108.7)/56 (34.0-88.2) |
| WBC (× 103/mmc) [median (IQRs)] | 4.7 (3.7-5.8) |
| Characteristics of TACE and time-intervals between procedures | |
| Number of treatments [median (IQRs)] | 2 (1-2) |
| Repeated TACE | 37 (52.9) |
| Type of TACE (DEB/conventional) | 54 (77.1)/16 (22.9) |
| Interval of last imaging-LT (mo) [median (IQRs)] | 1.4 (0.7-2.7) |
| Interval of last TACE-LT (mo) [median (IQRs)] | 3.9 (2.1-7.4) |
| Interval of first TACE-LT (mo) [median (IQRs)] | 6.9 (3.7-11.0) |
1
The AFP value was missing in 8 patients;
2
TACE NLR was missing in 6 patients;
3
PLR was missing in 6 patients. LT: Liver transplantation; IQR: Interquartile range; MELD: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization, CT: Computed tomography; MR: Magnetic resonance, USCF: University of California San Francisco; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; NLR: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR: Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; WBC: White blood cell; DEB: Doxorubicin-eluting bead.