Observational Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2021.
World J Hepatol. Dec 27, 2021; 13(12): 2137-2149
Published online Dec 27, 2021. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i12.2137
Table 1 The ages in the different groups of the study (mean ± SD)
Age
HCC (n = 34)
Chronic liver infection (n = 11)
Control (n = 5)
F1
P value
58.88 ± 8.0856.18 ± 16.2655.40 ± 22.090.340.72 NS
Table 2 Significance of the differences in laboratory data between the three study groups (mean ± SD)
Variable
HCC (n = 34)
Chronic liver infection (n = 11)
Control (n = 5)
F1
P value
INR1.37a ± 0.201.35a ± 0.301.07b ± 0.083.930.03 S
Serum albumin (g/dL)2.94 ± 0.423.03 ± 0.733.40 ± 0.251.950.15 NS
AST2 (IU/L)50.00a ± 38.00–102.0023.00b ± 15.00–39.0015.00b ± 14.00–18.0016.21< 0.001 HS
ALT2 (IU/L)40.50a ± 28.00–73.3022.00 ± 15.00–38.0010.00b ± 8.00–15.0012.690.002 HS
Total bilirubin2 (mg/dL)1.60a ± 1.10–2.201.10 ± 0.50–1.600.40b ± 0.30–0.5014.910.001 HS
Direct bilirubin2 (mg/dL)0.70a ± 0.50–1.100.30b ± 0.10–0.600.10b ± 0.10–0.2015.84< 0.001 HS
Table 3 Hepatitis virus B and C infections in the three study groups
Variable
HCC (n = 34), (%)
Chronic liver infection (n = 11), (%)
Control (n = 5), (%)
(X2)1
P value
HCVAbPositive30 (88.2)11 (100.0)0 (0.0)18.32 FE< 0.001 HS
Negative4 (11.8)0 (0.0)5 (100.0)
HBsAgPositive2 (5.9)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0.78 FE1.00 NS
Negative32 (94.1)11 (100.0)5 (100.0)
Table 4 Expression level of hsa-miR-519d-3p, ACTB, RNU6, and SQSTM1 between the three study groups (mean ± SD)
Variable
HCC (n = 34)
Chronic liver infection (n = 11)
Control (n = 5)
F1
P value
Ct (ACTB)30.65a ± 4.2125.82b ± 2.3127.34b ± 2.007.690.001 HS
Ct (RNU6)36.03 ± 2.9236.36 ± 2.8238.55 ± 0.961.780.18 NS
Ct (miR-519d)30.08a ± 3.0033.61b ± 2.7838.05c ± 1.0820.48< 0.001 HS
mRNA-SQSTM136.14 ± 3.1734.89 ± 2.3038.38 ± 1.862.480.10 NS
DCT (miR-519d)−5.95a ± 1.98−2.75b ± 0.89−0.50c ± 0.4031.17< 0.001 HS
DDCT (miR-519d)−5.59a ± 1.98−2.39b ± 0.89−0.14c ± 0.4031.17< 0.001 HS
RQ (miR-519d)241.94a ± 18.25–139.105.98b ± 3.14–8.281.17c ± 1.16–1.2128.46< 0.001 HS
DCT (SQSTM1)5.49a ± 1.839.07b ± 0.7011.04c ± 0.5841.08< 0.001 HS
DDCT (SQSTM1)−5.51a ± 1.83−1.93b ± 0.700.04c ± 0.5841.08< 0.001 HS
RQ (SQSTM1)233.91a ± 14.83–132.513.68b ± 2.28–5.500.84c ± 0.76–0.9932.54< 0.001 HS
Table 5 Alpha-fetoprotein laboratory results in the three subgroups
Variable
HCC (n = 34), median (IQR)
Chronic liver disease (n = 11), median (IQR)
Control (n = 5), median (IQR)

P value
AFP1 (ng/mL) by ELISA62.60a (8.20–600.80)3.50b (2.50–20.00)0.70c (0.50–1.00)19.17< 0.001 HS
Table 6 Clinical and radiological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma lesions.
Variable
mean ± SD
Child–Pugh score6.76 ± 1.44
n (%)
CirrhosisCirrhosis27 (79.4)
No cirrhosis7 (20.6)
BCLC stageStage A (early)31 (91.2)
Stage D (late)3 (8.8)
Child–Pugh classificationA17 (50.0)
B14 (41.2)
C3 (8.8)
Average tumor size> 3 cm3 (8.8)
< 3 cm31 (91.2)