Table 4.

Multivariate analysis of variables, including the number of pathological central node metastases, for central node recurrence-free survival for cN0M0 PTC patients

Variable	p value	Hazard ratio (95%CI)
Male gender	0.9446	1.03 (0.43–2.45)
Age ≥ 55 years	0.001	2.60 (1.44–4.69)
Extrathyroid extension (Ex)	0.0002	3.27 (1.76–6.06)
Tumor size
>4.0 cm	0.0007	4.42 (1.87–10.41)
2.1–4.0 cm	0.0014	3.16 (1.59–6.28)
Pathological central node metastasis ≥5	0.0014	2.65 (1.45–4.83)