Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Before PSM | After PSM | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenvatinib (n = 44) | Sorafenib (n = 162) | SMD | Lenvatinib (n = 44) | Sorafenib (n = 88) | SMD | |
| Male gender, N (%) | 40 (90.9%) | 144 (88.9%) | − 0.056 | 40 (90.9%) | 80 (90.9%) | 0.000 |
| Age (yr), median (IQR) | 58 (51.5–64.8) | 59 (53.8–65.0) | − 0.055 | 58 (51.5–64.8) | 58 (52.3–64.8) | − 0.016 |
| ALT (IU/L), median (IQR) | 41.5 (25.0–66.0) | 34 (25.0–54.0) | 0.198 | 41.5 (25.0–66.0) | 37.5 (26.0–65.0) | 0.050 |
| AST (IU/L), median (IQR) | 52.0 (31.5–89.8) | 49 (34.0–78.0) | 0.123 | 52.0 (31.5–89.8) | 50.5 (35.3–84.0) | 0.029 |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dL), median (IQR) | 1.00 (0.60–1.73) | 1.00 (0.60–1.30) | 0.220 | 1.00 (0.60–1.73) | 1.10 (0.70–1.48) | 0.136 |
| Albumin (g/dL), median (IQR) | 3.8 (3.2–4.1) | 3.7 (3.3–4.1) | − 0.044 | 3.8 (3.2–4.1) | 3.7 (3.1–4.0) | 0.099 |
| PT (INR), median (IQR) | 1.16 (1.06–1.24) | 1.10 (1.03–1.18) | 0.256 | 1.16 (1.06–1.24) | 1.10 (1.02–1.20) | 0.199 |
| PIVKA (mAU/mL), median (IQR) | 1160.0 (115.0–4938.0) | 870.5 (110.8–5338.8) | − 0.041 | 1160.0 (115.0–4938.0) | 1174.0 (116.3–4346.8) | 0.010 |
| AFP (ng/mL), median (IQR) | 132.6 (14.6–5980.0) | 427.7 (10.2–4442.5) | − 0.270 | 132.6 (14.6–5980.0) | 86.8 (6.9–3600.0) | − 0.069 |
| Child–Pugh class, N (%) | 0.277 | 0.059 | ||||
| A | 29 (65.9%) | 129 (79.6%) | 29 (65.9%) | 63 (71.6%) | ||
| B | 13 (29.5%) | 27 (16.7%) | 13 (29.5%) | 19 (21.6%) | ||
| C | 2 (4.5%) | 6 (3.7%) | 2 (4.5%) | 6 (6.8%) | ||
| ECOG, N (%) | − 0.307 | − 0.205 | ||||
| 0 | 23 (71.9%) | 99 (61.1%) | 23 (71.9%) | 48 (62.3%) | ||
| 1 | 9 (28.1%) | 57 (35.2%) | 9 (28.1%) | 29 (37.7%) | ||
| BCLC stage, N (%) | 0.135 | − 0.034 | ||||
| B | 4 (9.1%) | 17 (10.5%) | 4 (9.1%) | 8 (9.1%) | ||
| C | 39 (88.6%) | 142 (87.7%) | 39 (88.6%) | 77 (87.5%) | ||
| D | 1 (2.3%) | 3 (1.9%) | 1 (2.3%) | 3 (3.4%) | ||
| Tumor size (mm), median (IQR) | 76.5 (40.8–127.5) | 58.5 (33.0–124.8) | 0.145 | 76.5 (40.8–127.5) | 63.0 (33.0–140.5) | 0.062 |
| Extrahepatic metastasis, N (%) | 0.042 | 0.075 | ||||
| Yes | 31 (70.5%) | 111 (68.5%) | 31 (70.5%) | 59 (67.0%) | ||
| No | 13 (29.5%) | 51 (31.5%) | 13 (29.5%) | 29 (33.0%) | ||
| Portal vein thrombosis, N (%) | 0.120 | 0.046 | ||||
| Yes | 20 (45.5%) | 65 (40.1%) | 20 (45.5%) | 37 (42.0%) | ||
| No | 24 (54.5%) | 97 (59.9%) | 24 (54.5%) | 51 (58.0%) | ||
| Biliary invasion, N (%) | 0.102 | 0.003 | ||||
| Yes | 4 (9.1%) | 10 (6.2%) | 4 (9.1%) | 9 (10.2%) | ||
| No | 40 (90.9%) | 152 (93.8%) | 40 (90.9%) | 79 (89.8%) | ||
| Previous anti-HCC treatment, N (%) | − 0.109 | − 0.056 | ||||
| Yes | 35 (79.5%) | 136 (84.0%) | 35 (79.5%) | 72 (81.8%) | ||
| No | 9 (20.5%) | 26 (16.0%) | 9 (20.5%) | 16 (18.2%) | ||
| Subsequent anti-HCC treatment, N (%) | − 0.536 | |||||
| Yes | 15 (34.1%) | 92 (56.8%) | 15 (34.1%) | 46 (52.3%) | ||
| No | 30 (65.9%) | 70 (43.2%) | 29 (65.9%) | 42 (47.7%) | ||
| Antiviral treatment, N (%) | 0.121 | 0.107 | ||||
| Yes | 35 (79.5%) | 122 (75.3%) | 35 (79.5%) | 67 (76.1%) | ||
| No | 8 (18.2%) | 37 (22.8%) | 8 (18.2%) | 20 (22.7%) | ||
| Viral status | − 0.083 | − 0.067 | ||||
| Immune tolerant phase | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | ||
| HBeAg +, immune active phase | 0 (0.0%) | 6 (3.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (3.4%) | ||
| Immune inactive phase | 35 (79.5%) | 118 (72.8%) | 35 (79.5%) | 63 (71.6%) | ||
| HBeAg−, immune active phase | 6 (13.6%) | 12 (7.4%) | 6 (13.6%) | 8 (9.1%) | ||
| HBsAg loss phase | 2 (4.5%) | 17 (10.5%) | 2 (4.5%) | 8 (9.1%) | ||
Data are presented as number (%) or median (interquartile range)
PSM, propensity score matching; SMD, standardized mean difference; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; PT, prothrombin time; PIVKA, protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonists-II; AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; BCLC, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; IQR, inter-quartile range; INR, international normalized ratio