Table 4.
The results of the subgroup analysis for disease-free survival (DFS).
| Subgroups | No. of studies | Pooled HR (95%CI) | P overall effect | Heterogeneity (I2, PQ) | P interaction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median/Mean age | |||||
| <55 | 7 | 1.49 (1.34–1.66) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.888 | 0.084 |
| ≥55 | 12 | 1.87 (1.58–2.22) | <0.001 | 46.1%, 0.040 | |
| Treatment | |||||
| Surgery | 14 | 1.53 (1.41–1.67) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.766 | 0.268 |
| RFA | 3 | 1.78 (1.25–2.51) | 0.001 | 55.9%, 0.104 | |
| TACE | 2 | 1.38 (0.86–2.21) | 0.176 | 37.6%, 0.205 | |
| Radiotherapy | 1 | 2.48 (1.21–5.08) | 0.013 | - | |
| Mixed | 2 | 2.55 (1.83–3.56) | <0.001 | 4.2%, 0.307 | |
| Region | |||||
| China | 14 | 1.53 (1.40–1.67) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.757 | 0.357 |
| Korea | 2 | 1.79 (0.93–3.42) | 0.079 | 78.2%, 0.032 | |
| USA | 1 | 2.78 (1.92–4.03) | <0.001 | - | |
| Japan | 4 | 1.82 (1.47-2.26) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.945 | |
| Sample size | |||||
| <300 | 10 | 1.85 (1.59–2.14) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.670 | 0.037 |
| ≥300 | 11 | 1.51 (1.38–1.65) | <0.001 | 27.7%, 0.180 | |
| Disease stage | |||||
| Early | 17 | 1.56 (1.44–1.70) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.524 | 0.321 |
| Advanced | 3 | 2.01 (1.23–3.27) | 0.005 | 77.3%, 0.012 | |
| Hepatitis virus status | |||||
| HBV | 14 | 1.52 (1.40–1.66) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.483 | 0.081 |
| HCV | 6 | 1.77 (1.51–2.08) | <0.001 | 45.0%, 0.106 | |
| Non-HBV/HCV | 1 | 2.04 (1.31–3.16) | 0.002 | - | |
| APRI level | |||||
| <1 | 10 | 1.57 (1.41–1.75) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.556 | 0.802 |
| ≥1 | 9 | 1.60 (1.41–1.82) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.558 | |
| APRI selection | |||||
| ROC analysis | 11 | 1.66 (1.48–1.87) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.498 | 0.394 |
| X-tile plots | 2 | 1.52 (1.17–1.99) | 0.002 | 0.0%, 0.925 | |
| Other | 8 | 1.62 (1.37–1.90) | <0.001 | 54.0%, 0.033 | |
| Proportion of cirrhosis | |||||
| <50% | 5 | 1.54 (1.34–1.78) | <0.001 | 10.0%, 0.352 | 0.800 |
| ≥50% | 10 | 1.59 (1.44–1.75) | <0.001 | 34.5%, 0.123 | |
| Analysis mode | |||||
| Univariate analysis | 5 | 1.48 (1.28–1.73) | <0.001 | 39.8%, 0.156 | 0.483 |
| Multivariate analysis | 16 | 1.62 (1.49–1.77) | <0.001 | 14.6%, 0.280 | |
| Median/mean tumor size | |||||
| <3 cm | 5 | 1.72 (1.41–2.10) | <0.001 | 45.6%, 0.118 | 0.273 |
| ≥3 cm | 12 | 1.52 (1.39–1.66) | <0.001 | 0.0%, 0.723 | |
RFA, radiofrequency ablation; TACE, transarterial chemoembolization; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; ROC, receiver operating characteristic curve; APRI, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index.