Hepatocellular carcinoma, decompensation, and mortality based on hepatitis C treatment: A prospective cohort study

Table 4 Comparison of characteristics and outcomes between the interferon-based treatment-sustained virologic response and direct-acting antivirals-sustained virologic response groups: Unadjusted and propensity score matching groups

Variable	Before adjustment				PS matched
	IBT-SVR group (n = 451)	DAA-SVR group (n = 817)	P value	SMD	IBT-SVR group (n = 213)	DAA-SVR group (n = 213)	P value	SMD
Age, yr	51.0 ± 10.6	59.1 ± 11.4	< 0.001	0.741	53.9 ± 9.8	53.7 ± 11.4	0.823	0.022
Male sex	209 (46.3)	394 (48.2)	0.52	0.036	102 (47.9)	97 (45.5)	0.627	0.047
HCV RNA, xlog10 IU/mL	5.72 (4.77-6.37)	6.04 (5.26-6.52)	< 0.001	0.278	5.84 (4.91-6.53)	6.07 (5.21-6.50)	0.439	0.073
HCV genotype			< 0.001	0.406			0.731	0.058
1	167 (37.0)	464 (56.8)			95 (44.6)	101 (47.4)
2	278 (61.6)	342 (41.9)			116 (54.5)	111 (52.1)
Others	6 (1.3)	11 (1.3)			2 (0.9)	1 (0.5)
Entry-to-treat, year	0 (0-0.3)	0.2 (0-2.1)	< 0.001	0.654	0.1 (0-0.4)	0.1 (0-0.4)	0.78	0.125
Diagnosis status			0.001	0.192			0.901	0.012
Chronic hepatitis	373 (82.7)	612 (74.9)			174 (81.7)	173 (81.2)
Compensated cirrhosis	78 (17.3)	205 (25.1)			39 (18.3)	40 (18.8)
FIB-4 index			< 0.001	0.294			0.363	0.071
≤ 1.45	156 (34.8)	156 (19.9)			69 (32.7)	59 (29.1)
1.45–3.25	155 (34.6)	326 (41.6)			74 (35.1)	85 (41.9)
≥ 3.25	137 (30.6)	302 (38.5)			68 (32.2)	59 (29.1)
APRI score			0.562	0.096			0.108	0.048
< 2.0	383 (85.1)	676 (83.9)			186 (87.7)	170 (82.1)
≥ 2.0	67 (14.9)	130 (16.1)			26 (12.3)	37 (17.9)
ALBI score			0.958	0.044			0.339	0.054
≤ -2.60 (Grade 1)	360 (80.0)	639 (79.9)			172 (81.1)	172 (82.7)
> -2.60 (Grade 2 or 3)	90 (20.0)	161 (20.1)			40 (18.9)	36 (16.3)
Ever smoker	228 (50.8)	15 (37.5)	0.045	0.162	95 (44.6)	93 (43.7)	0.527	0.019
Alcohol intake			< 0.001	0.669			0.816	0.058
None	171 (38.0)	19 (47.5)			98 (46.0)	104 (48.8)
Social	245 (54.4)	13 (32.5)			88 (41.3)	85 (39.9)
Significant1	34 (7.6)	8 (20.0)			27 (12.7)	24 (11.3)
Fatty liver disease on imaging study	77 (22.8), n = 337	131 (22.4), n = 586	0.863	0.039	34 (24.3)	35 (24.8)	0.917	0.013
Anti-HBc IgG positivity	25 (8.6), n = 290	62 (10.5), n = 592	0.386	0.062	12 (7.8)	15 (9.7)	0.546	0.062
BMI, kg/m2	23.7 ± 3.0	23.9 ± 3.1	0.429	0.047	23.9 ± 2.9	23.9 ± 3.4	0.983	0.005
Diabetes mellitus	61 (13.6)	122 (14.9)	0.495	0.049	26 (12.2)	22 (10.3)	0.54	0.055
Hypertension	80 (17.7)	236 (28.9)	< 0.001	0.267	45 (21.1)	44 (20.7)	0.905	0.012
Cardiovascular disease	3 (0.7)	24 (2.9)	0.007	0.162	2 (0.9)	3 (1.4)	0.315	0.058
Cerebrovascular disease	2 (0.4)	19 (2.3)	0.012	0.172	1 (0.5)	3 (1.4)	0.315	0.141
Laboratory study
WBC, × 103/mm3	4.99 (3.90-6.10)	5.40 (4.40-6.63)	< 0.0010.297	0.24	5.26 (4.25-6.35)	5.35 (4.50-6.52)	0.787	0.027
Hemoglobin, g/dL	13.6 (12.6-14.9)	13.8 (12.8-14.8)	0.218	0.061	13.9 (12.8-14.9)	13.9 (12.8-14.9)	0.916	0.01
PLT, × 103/mm3	177 (136-220)	173 (130-216)	0.178	0.055	176 (136-222)	180 (139-219)	0.401	0.083
Albumin, g/dL	4.2 (4.0-4.5)	4.2 (4.0-4.4)	0.664	0.082	4.3 (4.0-4.5)	4.3 (4.0-4.5)	0.734	0.031
Total bilirubin, mg/dL	0.7 (0.6-1.0)	0.7 (0.6-1.0)	< 0.001	0.072	0.8 (0.6-1.0)	0.7 (0.6-1.0)	0.85	0.009
ALP, IU/L	80 (63-113)	122 (78-250)	0.012	0.612	90 (65-126)	96 (72-183)	0.524	0.072
AST, IU/L	50 (30-86)	46 (30-76)	< 0.001	0.156	50 (32-83)	42 (27-85)	0.899	0.012
ALT, IU/L	54 (29-105)	36 (22-70)	0.756	0.297	49 (29-85)	37 (21-91)	0.915	0.009
Creatinine, mg/dL	0.8 (0.7-1.0)	0.8 (0.7-1.0)	0.02	0.09	0.8 (0.7-1.0)	0.8 (0.7-0.9)	0.176	0.069
PT, INR	1.03 (0.98-1.08)	1.04 (0.99-1.10)	0.434	0.111	1.03 (0.98-1.08)	1.04 (0.87-1.09)	0.67	0.038
AFP, ng/dL	3.3 (2.3-6.3)	3.8 (2.3-6.5)		0.142	5.8 (4.9-6.5)	6.1 (5.2-6.5)	0.278	0.034

¹Significant alcohol intake is defined as weekly alcohol consumption ≥ 210 g for men and ≥ 140 g for women.

Data were presented as mean ± SD, median (interquartile range), or n (%). AFP: Alpha-feto protein; ALBI: Albumin-bilirubin; ALP: Alkaline phosphatase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; APRI: Aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; BMI: Body mass index; DAA: Direct acting antivirals; FIB-4: Fibrosis-4; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; IBT: Interferon-based therapy; MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; PLT: Platelet; PT: Prothrombin time; WBC: White blood cell; SVR: Sustained virologic response.