Table 5 Sub-group analysis for patients with a history of curative HCC treatment and confirmed complete radiologic response before DAA therapy

Male

8

(72.7)

7

(100)

0.245

Age, year

70.2

± 7.7

66.9

± 11.9

0.480

BMI, kg/m²

22.3

± 2.7

26.1

± 4.7

0.049

HCV genotype

0.736

 1a

0

1

(14.3)

 1b

5

(45.5)

4

(57.1)

 2

2

(18.2)

0

 3

1

(9.1)

1

(14.3)

 6

3

(27.3)

1

(14.3)

HCV viral load before DAA therapy, ×10⁶ IU/ml

1.9

± 2.2

1.0

± 1.2

0.860

DAA therapy duration, weeks

12 [12, 12]

12 [12, 12]

0.724

Haemoglobin, g/dL

12.9

± 1.9

13.6

± 1.9

0.413

Platelets, ×10⁹/L

118.5

± 44.6

121.7

± 66.1

0.930

Creatinine, umol/L

78.1

± 26.1

92.6

± 28.3

0.126

ALT at the start of DAA therapy, IU/L

96.0

± 88.9

74.3

± 64.6

0.724

ALT at the end of DAA therapy, IU/L

23.2

± 5.6

21.1

± 10.9

0.660

Total bilirubin, umol/L

16.5

± 7.7

26.9

± 14.7

0.122

Albumin, g/L

35.6

± 3.3

30.4

± 7.3

0.115

INR

1.13

± 0.15

1.15

± 0.08

0.425

Prothrombin time, second

12.7

± 1.8

13.0

± 1.1

0.285

AFP at diagnosis of previous HCC before DAA therapy

54.0

± 67.5

147.1

± 131.6

0.056

AFP at the start of DAA therapy, ng/ml

25.5

± 38.9

27.7

± 24.5

0.246

AFP at the end of DAA therapy, ng/ml

6.6

± 4.7

13.2

± 8.2

0.069

HBV co-infection

0

0

–

HIV co-infection

0

0

–

Diabetes mellitus

1

(9.1)

0

1

Cirrhosis

10

(90.9)

6

(85.7)

1

Liver stiffness, kPa

15.8 [11.9, 21.5]

23.7 [14.8, 26.2]

0.479

Fatty liver

3

(27.3)

0

0.245

SVR 12

11

(100)

7

(100)

–

Evidence of portal hypertension

6

(54.5)

5

(71.4)

0.637

History of anti-viral treatment before DAA therapy

3

(27.3)

2

(28.6)

1

HCV infection suspected to be via previous intra-venous drug abuse

4

(36.4)

2

(28.6)

1

HCV infection suspected to be via previous blood transfusion

1

(9.1)

0

1

Previous HCC nodule(s) before DAA therapy:

0.412

 Single

10

(90.9)

6

(85.7)

 Multiple

0

1

(14.3)

Maximum HCC Nodule size before DAA therapy, cm

3.0

± 1.7

2.4

± 1.5

0.364

Previous HCC Treatment before DAA therapy:

0.141

 Resection

2

(18.2)

2

(28.6)

 Ablation ± TACE

9

(81.8)

5

(71.4)

Time between last HCC treatment till latest imaging before DAA, months

12.6

± 23.3

18.4

± 27.8

0.930

Time between last HCC treatment till DAA start date,months

18.4

± 31.1

26.5

± 31.8

0.596

Time between latest imaging before DAA till DAA Start date, months

5.7

± 8.0

8.1

± 8.1

0.375