Validation of a serum microRNA panel as biomarkers for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma post-hepatitis C infection in Egyptian patients

Table 1 Clinical data of hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatitis C virus patients

	Non-malignant chronic HCV (n = 250)		HCC (n = 224)	P value
	Moderate fibrosis (n = 150)	Late fibrosis (n = 100)
Age (years)	40 ± 8.6a	45 ± 6.5c	55 ± 9.3e	< 0.0001
ALP (IU/L)	102.3 ± 36.9a	119 ± 72.1a	182.5 ± 58c	< 0.0001
SGOT (IU/L)	58 ± 18a	62.5 ± 28.2a,b	85.4 ± 45.2c	0.001
SGPT (IU/L	52.1 ± 18a	68.46 ± 24.8a	120.4 ± 53.4c	< 0.0001
Bilirubin, total (mg/dL)	0.40 ± 0.17a	0.43 ± 0.16a	0.78 ± 0.69c	< 0.0009
Bilirubin, direct (mg/dL)	0.68 ± 0.28a	0.85 ± 0.37a	1.9 ± 1.2c	< 0.0001
Log AFP (ng/mL)	0.49 ± 0.9a	0.98 ± 0.4a	2.3 ± 0.97c	< 0.0001
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	13.6 ± 1.8a	14.1 ± 1.5a	10.7 ± 1.2c	< 0.0001
Platelet count × 103 (/mm3)	236.5 ± 21.6a	158.2 ± 52.6c	131.2 ± 75.5c	< 0.0001
leukocyte count × 103 (/mm3)	6.3 ± 2.22a	6.4 ± 2.41a	5.7 ± 2.4a	0.460
Prothrombin concentration (%)	103 ± 4.7a	84.4 ± 8.0c	69.9 ± 19.3e	< 0.0001
Albumin (g/dL)	4.7 ± 0.8a	3.9 ± 0.9c	3.28 ± 0.6e	< 0.0001

Data are expressed as mean ± SD. ANOVA was used to analyze the clinical data. Groups with different letters show a significant difference (P < 0.05), while those with same letters show no significant difference (P > 0.05). AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; SGOT: Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase; SGPT: Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase.