Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Patients Before and After Propensity Score Matching
| Characteristics | Before PSM | After PSM | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R+ICIs (N=24) | R+ICIs+TACE (N=28) | P value | R+ICIs (N=23) | R+ICIs+TACE (N=23) | P value | |
| Age, years | 48.5 [45.0–56.0] | 54 [44.0–66.5] | 0.266 | 49 [45.0–56.0] | 53 [43.0–65.0] | 0.376 |
| ≤ 50 | 14 (58.3) | 12 (42.9) | 13 (56.5) | 10 (43.5) | ||
| > 50 | 10 (41.7) | 16 (57.1) | 10 (43.5) | 13 (56.5) | ||
| Sex | 0.313 | 0.681 | ||||
| Male | 19 (79.2) | 25 (89.3) | 19 (82.6) | 20 (87.0) | ||
| Female | 5 (20.8) | 3 (10.7) | 4 (17.4) | 3 (13.0) | ||
| BCLC stage | 0.029 | 0.200 | ||||
| B | 5 (20.8) | 14 (50.0) | 5 (21.7) | 9 (39.1) | ||
| C | 19 (79.2) | 14 (50.0) | 18 (78.3) | 14 (60.9) | ||
| ECOG PS | 0.029 | 0.116 | ||||
| 0 | 5 (20.8) | 14 (50.0) | 5 (21.7) | 10 (43.5) | ||
| 1 | 19 (79.2) | 14 (50.0) | 18 (78.3) | 13 (56.5) | ||
| HBsAg | 0.335 | 0.300 | ||||
| Positive | 17 (70.8) | 23 (82.1) | 16 (69.6) | 19 (82.6) | ||
| Negative | 7 (29.2) | 5 (17.9) | 7 (30.4) | 4 (17.4) | ||
| Child-Pugh class | 0.144 | 0.202 | ||||
| A5 | 14 (58.4) | 21 (75.0) | 13 (56.6) | 17 (73.9) | ||
| A6 | 5 (20.8) | 6 (21.4) | 5 (21.7) | 5 (21.7) | ||
| B7 | 5 (20.8) | 1 (3.6) | 5 (21.7) | 1 (4.3) | ||
| AFP (ng/mL) | 0.660 | 0.760 | ||||
| ≤ 400 | 14 (58.3) | 18 (64.3) | 14 (60.9) | 15 (65.2) | ||
| > 400 | 10 (41.7) | 10 (35.7) | 9 (39.1) | 8 (34.8) | ||
| WBC (x109/L) | 5.4 [3.8–7.2] | 5.0 [4.3–6.1] | 0.856 | 5.4 [4.5–6.6] | 5.4 [4.5–6.6] | 0.761 |
| Neutrophile (x109/L) | 3.6 [2.8–4.5] | 3.1 [2.8–4.3] | 0.849 | 3.6 [2.8–4.7] | 3.5 [2.0–4.4] | 0.758 |
| HGB (g/L) | 134.5 [111.3–150.8] | 137.5 [122.3–145.5] | 0.933 | 136.0 [110.0–152.0] | 135.0 [121.0–141.0] | 0.792 |
| PLT (x109/L) | 138.5 [83.5–183.8] | 100.5 [70.0–136.3] | 0.098 | 134.0 [80.0–174.0] | 104.0 [81.0–177.0] | 0.298 |
| TBil (μmol/L) | 15.2 [11.7–26.9] | 15.3 [11.8–21.4] | 0.735 | 15.2 [10.6–25.9] | 15.1 [11.9–22.7] | 0.800 |
| ALT (U/L) | 33.5 [20.3–48.0] | 40.5 [21.5–49.8] | 0.701 | 34.0 [24.0–50.0] | 42.0 [29.0–56.0] | 0.885 |
| AST (U/L) | 56.0 [38.0–82.0] | 41.5 [30.3–61.5] | 0.069 | 56.0 [38.0–82.0] | 50.0 [35.0–67.0] | 0.164 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 36.9 [31.2–41.5] | 38.1 [35.3–41.1] | 0.191 | 37.5 [31.0–41.6] | 35.7 [35.2–41.6] | 0.219 |
| NLR | 0.657 | 0.359 | ||||
| ≤ 4 | 16 (66.7) | 17 (60.7) | 16 (69.6) | 13 (56.5) | ||
| > 4 | 8 (33.3) | 11 (39.3) | 7 (30.4) | 10 (43.5) | ||
| PLR | 0.198 | 0.546 | ||||
| ≤ 133 | 13 (54.2) | 20 (71.4) | 13 (56.5) | 15 (65.2) | ||
| > 133 | 11 (45.8) | 8 (28.6) | 10 (43.5) | 8 (34.8) | ||
| Tumor size (cm) | 0.095 | 0.375 | ||||
| ≤ 5 | 9 (37.5) | 17 (60.7) | 9 (39.1) | 12 (52.2) | ||
| > 5 | 15 (62.5) | 11 (39.3) | 14 (60.9) | 11 (47.8) | ||
| Tumor number | 0.086 | 0.087 | ||||
| 1 | 2 (8.3) | 4 (14.3) | 2 (8.7) | 3 (13.0) | ||
| 2–3 | 3 (12.5) | 10 (35.7) | 3 (13.0) | 9 (39.1) | ||
| >3 | 19 (79.2) | 14 (50.0) | 18 (78.3) | 11 (47.8) | ||
| Extrahepatic metastasis | 13 (54.2) | 11 (39.3) | 0.283 | 12 (52.2) | 11 (47.8) | 0.768 |
| PVTT types | 10 (41.7) | 8 (28.6) | 0.322 | 10 (43.5) | 8 (34.8) | 0.546 |
| Type I | 0 (0.0) | 2 (7.1) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (8.7) | ||
| Type II | 6 (25.0) | 4 (14.3) | 6 (26.1) | 4 (17.4) | ||
| Type III | 2 (8.3) | 2 (7.1) | 2 (8.7) | 2 (8.7) | ||
| Type IV | 2 (8.3) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (8.7) | 0 (0.0) | ||
| Previous treatment procedures | 0.555 | 0.799 | ||||
| Surgery | 3 (12.5) | 4 (14.3) | 3 (13.0) | 3 (13.0) | ||
| TACE | 14 (58.3) | 12 (42.9) | 13 (56.5) | 10 (43.5) | ||
| Surgery+TACE | 6 (25.0) | 8 (28.6) | 6 (26.1) | 8 (34.8) | ||
| Surgery+RFA+TACE | 1 (4.2) | 4 (14.3) | 1 (4.3) | 2 (8.7) | ||
| First-line systemic treatment | 0.335 | 0.522 | ||||
| Lenvatinib | 8 (33.3) | 6 (21.4) | 8 (34.8) | 6 (26.1) | ||
| Sorafenib | 16 (66.7) | 22 (78.6) | 15 (65.2) | 17 (73.9) | ||
| Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor | 0.895 | 0.546 | ||||
| Camrelizumab | 15 (62.5) | 17 (60.7) | 15 (65.2) | 13 (56.5) | ||
| Sintilimab | 9 (37.5) | 11 (39.3) | 8 (34.8) | 10 (43.5) | ||
Notes: Data were median [interquartile range] or number (percent).
Abbreviations: PSM, propensity score matching; R+ICIs, regorafenib+immune checkpoint inhibitors; R+ICIs+TACE, regorafenib+immune checkpoint inhibitors+transarterial chemoembolization; BCLC, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer; ECOG PS, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen; AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; WBC, white blood cell; PLT, platelet; TBil, total bilirubin; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; NLR, Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio; PLR, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio; PVTT, portal vein tumour thrombus; Type I, tumor thrombi involving segmental branches of portal vein or above; Type II, tumor thrombi involving right/left portal vein; Type III, tumor thrombi involving the main portal vein trunk; Type IV, tumor thrombi involving the superior mesenteric vein; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; TACE, transarterial chemoembolization.