Chemoembolization alone vs combined chemoembolization and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Table 4 Adverse reactions of patients enrolled in our study n (%)

Adverse reaction	Chemoembolization (n = 92)		Chemoembolization + HAIC (n = 137)
	I + II	III + IV	I + II	III + IV	P1	P2
Hematologic toxicity
Reduction of white cells	13 (14.1)	0	21 (15.3)	2 (1.4)	0.803	-
Reduction of hemoglobin	17 (18.5)	3 (3.3)	21 (15.3)	2 (1.4)	0.530	0.393
Reduction of thrombocyte	19 (20.7)	7 (7.6)	57 (41.6)	5 (3.6)	0.001	0.231
Non-hematologic toxicity
Increase of total bilirubin	38 (41.3)	4 (4.3)	74 (54.0)	5 (3.6)	0.059	0.744
Increase of glutamate pyruvate transaminase	55 (59.8)	5 (5.4)	78 (56.9)	11 (8.0)	0.668	0.450
Increase of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase	50 (54.3)	8 (8.7)	82 (59.8)	9 (6.5)	0.408	0.547
Fever	55 (59.8)	11 (12.0)	64 (46.7)	12 (8.8)	0.052	0.430
Pain1	40 (43.5)	3 (3.3)	63 (46.0)	19 (13.9)	0.708	0.008
Nausea	47 (51.1)	3 (3.3)	91 (66.4)	5 (3.6)	0.030	0.875
Vomit	19 (20.7)	0	47 (34.3)	3 (2.2)	0.025	-
Diarrhea	1 (1.1)	0	4 (3.0)	0	0.768	-
Constipation	18 (19.6)	1 (1.1)	29 (21.2)	0	0.6513	-
Neurotoxicity2	-	-	13 (6.8)	0	-	-

¹Pain was evaluated according to the grading standards for acute and subacute toxicity reactions for anti-cancer drugs issued by the WHO;

²Neurotoxicity was evaluated according to the Levi special grading standard for sensory nerve toxicity;

³Fisher’s exact testing method, χ² test (P₁ value: comparison of grades I + II adverse reactions between the two groups; P₂ value: comparison of grades III + IV adverse reactions between the two groups). Statistics for adverse events: Evaluation based on the NCI - CTCAE v3.0 criteria. P-values: Pearson method, χ² test.