Association between the early high level of serum tacrolimus and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in ABO-incompatible liver transplantation

Table 4 Comparison of patients’ characteristics between low and high tacrolimus level groups at 4 wk liver transplantation before and after propensity-score matching

	Before matching			After matching
	Low FK 4wk, n = 34	High FK 4wk, n = 13	P value	Low FK 4wk, n = 12	High FK 4wk, n = 12	P value
Male gender	31 (91.2)	9 (69.2)	0.152	10 (83.3)	8 (66.7)	0.637
Age (yr)	57.0 (54.0; 62.0)	54.0 (46.0; 59.0)	0.103	54.0 (52.5; 58.5)	54.0 (46.0; 62.0)	0.862
AFP (ng/mL)	9.6 (3.2; 31.0)	17.5 (12.0; 28.8)	0.216	15.3 (3.5; 40.0)	16.5 (10.2; 263.8)	0.713
PIVKA (mAU/mL)	20.5 (12.0; 119.0)	16.0 (13.0; 26.0)	0.625	21.5 (14.5; 87.5)	15.0 (12.5; 62.5)	0.506
MELD	9.0 (7.0; 14.0)	8.0 (7.0; 10.0)	0.234	7.5 (4.5;12.2)	7.0 (4.5; 8.0)	0.62
ACR	4 (11.8)	3 (23.1)	0.606	3 (25.0)	2 (16.7)	1
AMR	2 (5.9)	1 (7.7)	1	2 (16.7)	1 (8.3)	1
Biliary complication	14 (41.2)	5 (38.5)	1	6 (50.0)	5 (41.7)	1
Hepatic artery thrombosis	1 (2.9)	1 (7.7)	1	1 (8.3)	1 (8.3)	1
mTOR inhibitor	8 (23.5)	5 (38.5)	0.51	3 (27.3)	3 (27.3)	1
Radiologic over Milan	8 (23.5)	7 (53.8)	0.1	2 (16.7)	6 (50.0)	0.194
Pathologic over Milan	10 (29.4)	5 (38.5)	0.806	3 (25.0)	4 (33.3)	1
Downstaging treatment	14 (41.2)	5 (38.5)	1	4 (33.3)	4 (33.3)	1
Tumor largest size, cm	1.5 (0.0; 3.2)	3.0 (1.6; 4.5)	0.174	1.8 (0.0; 2.3)	2.5 (0.8; 4.0)	0.331
Tumor number	1.0 (0.0; 2.0)	1.0 (1.0; 2.0)	0.303	1.0 (0.0; 1.5)	1.0 (0.5; 2.5)	0.336

Data are given as n (%) or median (quartile). FK: Tacrolimus; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; PIVKA: Protein-induced by vitamin K; MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; ACR: Acute cellular rejection; AMR: Antibody-mediated rejection.