Table 3.
Baseline characteristics of patients undergoing TACE or TACE + RFA before and after matching.
| Variables | Before matching | After matching | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TACE | TACE + RFA | p value | TACE | TACE + RFA | p value | |
| (n = 254) | (n = 141) | (n = 139) | (n = 139) | |||
| Median age (range) | 55 (25–78) | 56 (28–78) | 0.131a) | 54 (25–78) | 56 (28–78) | 0.183a) |
| Sex (M/F) | 217/37 | 117/24 | 0.518b) | 112/27 | 117/22 | 0.431b) |
| Family history of HCC (yes/no) | 30/224 | 15/126 | 0.725b) | 15/124 | 14/125 | 0.844b) |
| HBV related | 232/22 | 129/12 | 0.959b) | 129/10 | 127/12 | 0.657b) |
| WBC (×109/L) | 4.9 (3.3–5.8) | 4.5 (3.5–6.5) | 0.234c) | 4.7 (3.5–6.0) | 4.6 (3.6–6.6) | 0.542c) |
| PLT (×109/L) | 114.7 (62.0–144.5) | 112.9 (64.0–161.6) | 0.287c) | 98.0 (66.0–143.3) | 113.9 (65.0–161.8) | 0.542c) |
| AFP (ng/mL) (≥400/<400) | 114/140 | 55/86 | 0.258b) | 54/85 | 54/85 | 1.000b) |
| PVTT (%) | 211 (83.1) | 117 (83.0) | 1.000b) | 119 (85.6) | 119 (85.6) | 1.000b) |
| Vp1 | 3 (1.2) | 2 (1.4) | 1.000b) | 1 (0.7) | 2 (1.4) | 0.562b) |
| Vp2 | 17 (6.7) | 15 (10.6) | 0.323b) | 14 (10.1) | 14 (10.1) | 1.000b) |
| Vp3 | 66 (26.0) | 44 (31.2) | 0.434b) | 53 (38.1) | 51 (36.7) | 0.804b) |
| Vp4 | 125 (49.2) | 56 (39.7) | 0.200b) | 64 (46.0) | 65 (46.8) | 0.904b) |
| HVTT (%) | 14 (5.5) | 7 (5.0) | 0.769b) | 7 (5.0) | 6 (4.3) | 0.776b) |
| PVTT + HVTT (%) | 29 (11.4) | 17 (12.1) | 0.825b) | 13 (9.4) | 13 (9.4) | 1.000b) |
| Tumor number (≥3/<3) | 111/143 | 48/93 | 0.061b) | 47/92 | 47/92 | 1.000b) |
| Tumor diameter (cm) (≥5/<5) | 156/98 | 77/64 | 0.188b) | 88/51 | 76/63 | 0.143b) |
| Child-Pugh class (A/B or C) | 136/118 | 89/52 | 0.065b) | 89/50 | 89/50 | 1.000b) |
| MELD score | 6.4 (3.9–8.4) | 6.0 (3.0–8.3) | 0.159c) | 5.6 (3.7–7.8) | 5.1 (3.1–8.3) | 0.812c) |
| TNM (III/IV) | 211/43 | 125/16 | 0.136b) | 114/25 | 123/16 | 0.128b) |
| BCLC (C/D) | 225/29 | 129/12 | 0.364b) | 126/13 | 128/11 | 0.669b) |
Age is presented as median (range), categorical variables as number (%), continuous variable as median (interquartile range). a), t-test; b), chi-square test or Fisher's exact test; c), Mann–Whitney U test. HBV, hepatitis B virus; GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; WBC, white blood cell count; PLT, platelet count; AFP, α-fetoprotein; PVTT, portal vein tumor thrombosis; HVTT, hepatic vein tumor thrombosis; MELD, model for end-stage liver disease; TNM, tumor, node, and metastasis staging; BCLC, Barcelona Clinic for Liver Cancer.