Prospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2017.
World J Hepatol. Aug 18, 2017; 9(23): 1001-1007
Published online Aug 18, 2017. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v9.i23.1001
Table 1 Demographic data and Child Pugh scoring of the studied groups n (%)
Variable(s)Group IGroup IIGroup IIIP value
HCC group (n = 57)Cirrhotic group (n = 57)Control group (n = 57)
Gender
Male37 (64.91)39 (68.42)40 (70.18)0.8289
Female20 (35.09)18 (31.58)17 (29.82)
Age (mean ± SD) (yr)55.9 ± 5.19454.88 ± 9.90754.3 ± 6.340.5087
Child Pugh classification
A10 (17.54)15 (26.32)-0.527
B18 (31.58)16 (28.07)-
C29 (50.88)26 (45.61)-
Table 2 Imaging characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma cases
Variablesn (%)
Size (mean ± SD) (range) cm7.61 ± 3.037 (3.2-14)
Portal veins thrombosisYes10 (17.54)
No47 (82.46)
No. of focal lesionsSingle32 (56.14)
Multiple25 (43.86)
Site of focal lesionsRight lobe32 (56.14)
Left lobe17 (29.82)
Both lobes8 (14.04)
Okuda stageI7 (12.28)
II23 (40.35)
III27 (47.37)
Table 3 Laboratory characteristics among the studied groups
Variable(s)Group IGroup IIGroup IIIPP1P2P3
HCC group (n = 57)Cirrhotic group (n = 57)Control group (n = 57)
mean ± SDmean ± SDmean ± SD
ALT (U/L)60.75 ± 32.6359.04 ± 68.7430.18 ± 5.48< 0.0001< 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
AST (U/L)86.7 ± 35.166.77± 32.0732.79 ± 7.2< 0.0001< 0.01< 0.001< 0.001
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)4.48 ± 4.75.2 ± 5.590.77 ± 0.18< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Serum albumin (g/dL)2.54 ± 0.382.72 ± 0.534.05 ± 0.47< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
INR1.48 ± 0.31.54 ± 0.720.99 ± 0.07< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Serum α-feto protein (ng/mL)1418.55 ± 2953.241.61 ± 15.785.8 ± 1.65< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)2.2 ± 1.771.64 ± 1.230.95 ± 0.16< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Hemoglobin (g/dL)9.72 ± 1.2210.02 ± 0.8912.62 ± 1.1< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Platelet (× 109/L)98.33 ± 30.83102.32 ± 33.24220.93 ± 53.14< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Total leucocytic count (× 109/L)3.17 ± 0.473.39 ± 0.506.83 ± 2< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Table 4 MicroRNAs levels among the studied groups
Variable(s)Group IGroup IIGroup IIIPP1P2P3
HCC group (n = 57)Cirrhotic group (n = 57)Control group (n = 57)
Median (range)Median (range)Median (range)
MicroRNA 23a214 (21-218)211 (21-218)26 (20-219)< 0.0001< 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
MicroRNA 34214 (22-220)211 (24-218)25 (20-219)< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
MicroRNA 20326 (21-219)26 (20-219)214 (21-225)< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
MicroRNA 33826 (21-219)26 (21-219)212 (29-217)< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
MicroRNA 16214 (21-225)213 (24-218)25 (20-219)< 0.0001> 0.05< 0.001< 0.001
Table 5 Comparison between microRNAs levels in relation to tumour characteristics, α-feto protein level, Okuda staging, and the etiology of liver cirrhosis
MicroRNA 16
MicroRNA 338
MicroRNA 203
MicroRNA 34
MicroRNA 23a
nVariable(s)
P-valueRangeMedianP-valueRangeMedianP-valueRangeMedianP-valueRangeMedianP-valueRangeMedian
0.391024-2172120.389024-219270.257122-217240.055824-2152130.0008a21-21321111Less than 5 cmSize of focal lesions
21-22521421-2152521-2192622-22021523-211821446Equal or more 5 cm
0.302623-2212140.535221-219260.504022-219260.897524-2202140.0001a21-21821132SingleNo. of focal lesions
21-22521422-2152621-292622-2119215214-21821525multiple
0.958129-2182140.924722-29260.776723-29260.825522-2192140.0795210-21721510PresentPortal vein thrombosis
21-22521421-2192621-2192624-22021421-21821347Absent
0.888122-2252140.829521-219260.080721-217270.336722-2202150.973621-21821436Less than 200 ng/mLAFP level
21-22121421-2152621-2192527-21921423-21721421Equal or more 200 ng/mL
0.934725-2172140.114524-29270.448823-217260.439624-2152140.0001a24-2132117Stage IOkuda stage
23-22121421-2192422-2192729-22021421-21821123Stage II
21-22521422-2152721-292522-219214211-21821527Stage III
0.160323-2252140.440521-219260.400721-219270.782724-2202140.543321-21821442HCVEtiology of liver cirrhosis
21-21521121-292624-21525210-21721423-2152148HBV
25-21621424-292723-262422-219215210-2172147None
Table 6 Sensitivity, specificity, positive prediction value, negative prediction value and accuracy of microRNAs and α-feto protein
Variable(s)Cutoff valueSensitivity%Specificity%Positive predictive value (PPV%)Negative predictive value (NPV%)Accuracy
MicroRNA 23a≥ 21089.47%64.91%56.04%92.5%79.3%
MicroRNA 34≥ 21089.47%55.26%50%91.3%79.3%
MicroRNA 203≥ 2480.7%10.53%31.08%52.17%29.6%
MicroRNA 338≥ 2563.16%16.67%27.48%47.5%26.4%
MicroRNA 16 ≥ 21087.72%57.89%51.02%90.4%75.7%
α-feto protein≥ 20073.68%52.63%43.75%80%78.5%