Table 1.
Incidence of overt HE: difference between high-ALB-level (>31.6 g/l) and low-ALB-level (⩽31.6 g/l) groups.
| Variables | Patients, n | Overall* | Patients, n | ALB > 31.6g/l group* | Patients, n | ALB ⩽ 31.6 g/l group* | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 2376 | 55.26 (6.20–89.19) 55.27 ± 12.08 | 1638 | 57.63 (6.20–89.19) 54.80 ± 12.18 | 738 | 55.19 (18.57–89.16) 56.30 ± 11.80 | 0.063 |
| Sex (male %) | 2376 | 1619 (68.1%) | 1638 | 1119 (68.3%) | 738 | 500 (67.8%) | 0.785 |
| Etiology of liver diseases | |||||||
| HBV (%) | 2376 | 920 (38.7%) | 1638 | 651 (39.7%) | 738 | 269 (36.4%) | 0.127 |
| HCV (%) | 2376 | 193 (8.1%) | 1638 | 136 (8.3%) | 738 | 57 (7.7%) | 0.632 |
| Alcohol abuse (%) | 2376 | 904 (38%) | 1638 | 602 (36.8%) | 738 | 302 (40.9%) | 0.053 |
| Autoimmune (%) | 2376 | 147 (6.2%) | 1638 | 83 (5.1%) | 738 | 64 (8.7%) | 0.001 |
| Other etiology (%) | 2376 | 551 (23.2%) | 1638 | 379 (23.1%) | 738 | 172 (23.3%) | 0.928 |
| Ascites (%) | 2376 | 972 (40.9%) | 1638 | 556 (33.9%) | 738 | 416 (56.4%) | <0.001 |
| AUGIB (%) | 2376 | 663 (27.9%) | 1638 | 376 (23%) | 738 | 287 (38.9%) | <0.001 |
| Infection (%) | 2376 | 517 (21.8%) | 1638 | 333 (20.3%) | 738 | 184 (24.9%) | 0.012 |
| Hb (g/l) | 2357 | 98 (23–218) 98.70 ± 30.84 | 1624 | 104 (23–218) 104.04 ± 30.91 | 733 | 84 (27–176) 86.87 ± 27.19 | <0.001 |
| WBC (109/l) | 2359 | 4 (0.5–53.6) 4.76 ± 3.44 | 1626 | 3.8 (0.5–33.5) 4.54 ± 3.08 | 733 | 4.3 (0.5–53.6) 5.24 ± 4.08 | <0.001 |
| PLT (109/l) | 2355 | 80 (3–1278) 105.23 ± 85.80 | 1623 | 81 (3–1278) 107.96 ± 86.92 | 732 | 75 (5–842) 99.18 ± 83.00 | 0.002 |
| TBIL (μmol/l) | 2369 | 19.9 (1.9–809.8) 31.64 ± 47.53 | 1635 | 18.7 (2.4–809.8) 27.61 ± 39.47 | 734 | 22.6 (1.9–679.1) 40.63 ± 60.90 | <0.001 |
| ALB (g/l) | 2376 | 34.9 (9.6–56.2) 34.77 ± 6.22 | 1638 | 37.2 (31.7–56.2) 37.97 ± 4.22 | 738 | 28.75 (9.6–31.6) 27.67 ± 3.49 | <0.001 |
| ALT (U/l) | 2365 | 25.1 (4.23–1460.0) 39.60 ± 71.16 | 1631 | 25 (4.47–1335.0) 39.11 ± 70.96 | 734 | 26 (4.23–1460.0) 40.70 ± 71.65 | 0.138 |
| AST (U/l) | 2366 | 33 (8–1366) 51.82 ± 78.29 | 1632 | 31 (8–1366) 47.83 ± 75.48 | 734 | 39 (8–941) 60.69 ± 83.57 | <0.001 |
| AKP (U/l) | 2362 | 88.83 (1.3–1338.0) 113.0 ± 93.62 | 1629 | 86 (17–1388) 107.34 ± 85.45 | 733 | 92.82 (1.3–980.0) 125.57 ± 108.65 | <0.001 |
| GGT (U/l) | 2361 | 47 (7.54–4562.0) 120.79 ± 236.93 | 1628 | 45.27 (8–4562) 125.99 ± 263.27 | 733 | 51.97 (7.54–1779.18) 109.22 ± 163.49 | 0.369 |
| BUN (mmol/l) | 2321 | 5.39 (1.57–62.45) 6.77 ± 5.16 | 1603 | 5.28 (1.63–51.71) 6.43 ± 4.69 | 718 | 5.74 (1.57–62.45) 7.53 ± 6.01 | <0.001 |
| Scr (μmol/l) | 2321 | 60 (21–1473) 78.83 ± 109.66 | 1603 | 60 (21–1473) 77.31 ± 109.02 | 718 | 59 (23–1353) 82.23 ± 111.07 | 0.868 |
| K (mmol/l) | 2328 | 4 (2.13–7.24) 4.0 ± 0.49 | 1604 | 4 (2.48–7.24) 4.02 ± 0.46 | 724 | 3.95 (2.13–6.00) 3.96 ± 0.55 | 0.001 |
| Na (mmol/l) | 2328 | 139.4 (116.3–160.8) 138.94 ± 3.83 | 1604 | 139.6 (117.9–153.9) 139.27 ± 3.60 | 724 | 138.8 (116.3–160.8) 138.23 ± 4.20 | <0.001 |
| Ammonia (μmol/l) | 966 | 35 (2.2–317.0) 42.89 ± 35.14 | 618 | 33 (2.2–249.0) 38.17 ± 28.07 | 348 | 39 (9–317) 51.26 ± 43.85 | <0.001 |
| PT (seconds) | 2304 | 15.1 (10.3–51.5) 15.59 ± 3.15 | 1594 | 14.6 (10.4–51.0) 15.03 ± 2.74 | 710 | 16.2 (10.3–51.5) 16.83 ± 3.61 | <0.001 |
| APTT (seconds) | 2302 | 40 (19.4–472.4) 41.37 ± 12.63 | 1592 | 39.5 (19.4–472.4) 40.46 ± 12.92 | 710 | 41.5 (23.1–180.0) 43.39 ± 11.72 | <0.001 |
| Child–Pugh score | 2286 | 6 (5–13) 6.72 ± 1.62 | 1581 | 6 (5–12) 6.14 ± 1.27 | 705 | 8 (6–13) 8.02 ± 1.59 | <0.001 |
| MELD score | 2259 | 5.32 (−9.67 to 38.80) 6.08 ± 5.91 | 1638 | 4.63 (−9.67 to 38.80) 5.19 ± 5.43 | 697 | 7.21 (−7.52 to 35.30) 8.06 ± 6.42 | <0.001 |
| Incidence of overt HE (%) | 2376 | 113 (4.8%) | 1638 | 32 (2%) | 738 | 81 (11%) | <0.001 |
Bolded numerals indicate statistical significance.
AKP, alkaline phosphatase; ALB, albumin; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; APTT, activated partial thromboplastin time; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; AUGIB, acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; Hb, hemoglobin; HBV, hepatic B virus; HCV, hepatic C virus; HE, hepatic encephalopathy; K, potassium; MELD, model for end-stage liver disease; Na, sodium; PLT, platelet count; PT, prothrombin time; Pts, patients; Scr, serum creatinine; TBIL, total bilirubin; WBC, white blood cell count.
Note: *Continuous variables were reported as median (range) and mean ± standard deviation; categorical variables were reported as frequency (percentage).