Table 1 General characteristics at baseline

Demographic

 Age (years)

42.9 ± 10.7

43.8 ± 11.8

42.2 ± 9.5

0.420

 Male, n (%)

104(88.1)

52(89.7)

52(86.7)

0.616

 ESI (cm²/m²)

12.6 ± 3.8

11.3 ± 4.0

13.5 ± 3.4

0.026

Laboratory indicators

 Albumin (g/L)

30.2 ± 4.4

29.1 ± 5.1

32.2 ± 6.7

0.069

 Globulin (g/L)

25.9 ± 7.4

26.1 ± 8.1

25.7 ± 6.8

0.849

 Bilirubin (mg/dL)

20.1 ± 7.7

21.0 ± 8.3

19.2 ± 7.1

0.377

 ALT (U/L)

132(13-2329)

153(94–349)

117(38–496)

0.423

 AST (U/L)

166(47-1500)

208(134–349)

116(77–400)

0.243

 GGT (U/L)

64(15–231)

63(45–95)

68(37–103)

0.846

 Creatinine (µmol/L)

97.1 ± 17.0

98.6 ± 19.8

95.7 ± 14.3

0.526

 INR

3.1 ± 0.5

2.1 ± 0.4

4.1 ± 0.6

0.172

 WBC (×10⁹/L)

7.0 ± 4.9

7.9 ± 6.4

6.2 ± 2.8

0.186

 Hemoglobin (g/L)

119 ± 23

117 ± 24

120 ± 22

0.564

 Platelet count (×10⁹/L)

85 ± 42

76 ± 33

93 ± 48

0.125

 Serum ammonia (mmol/L)

65.8 ± 22.4

69.1 ± 25.8

62.4 ± 18.2

0.030

 HBV DNA (log₁₀ IU/ml)

3.2 ± 2.2

3.0 ± 2.1

3.3 ± 2.3

0.643

 MELD

27.4 ± 6.8

28.2 ± 8.7

26.6 ± 3.7

0.365

 MELD-Na

30.4 ± 9.4

30.7 ± 7.9

30.2 ± 10.8

0.837

Complications at baseline

 Ascites, n (%)

106(89.8)

54(93.1)

52(86.7)

0.247

 SBP, n (%)

25(21.2)

18(31.0)

7(11.7)

0.010

 Kidney dysfunction, n (%)

16(13.5)

12(20.7)

4(6.7)

0.026

 Hepatic encephalopathy, n (%)

13(11.0)

10(17.2)

3(5.0)

0.034

 Respiratory infections, n (%)

17(14.4)

9(15.5)

8(13.3)

0.736

 Hyponatremia, n (%)

50(42.4)

26(44.8)

24(40.0)

0.596

 Other types of infection, n (%)

19(16.1)

10(17.2)

9(15.0)

0.741