| Variables (No) | High VFA group (n = 27) | Control group (n = 35) | p Value |
| Age* | 67.5 (8.9) | 69.6 (9.7) | 0.37§ |
| Male | 16 (59.3%) | 24 (68.6%) | 0.59‡ |
| Diabetes mellitus | 13 (48.1%) | 14 (40.0%) | 0.52‡ |
| Dyslipidaemia | 7 (25.9%) | 8 (22.9%) | 0.78‡ |
| BMI (kg/m2)* | 26.9 (3.8) | 23.8 (3.2) | 0.001§ |
| VFA (cm2)* | 152.1 (45.2) | 79.0 (29.9) | 0.001§ |
| SFA (cm2)* | 180.2 (96.0) | 113.9 (56.2) | 0.001§ |
| Waist circumference (cm)* | 92.5 (10.0) | 84.2 (10.6) | 0.001§ |
| Serum albumin (g/dl)† | 3.9 (3.5–4.2) | 3.8 (3.4–4.1) | 0.40§ |
| AST (IU/l)† | 39.0 (27.5–50.0) | 38.0 (24.5–53.5) | 0.94§ |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dl)† | 0.8 (0.6–1.0) | 0.8 (0.6–1.5) | 0.31§ |
| Platelet count (×103/μl) | 135 (102–187) | 137 (122–189) | 0.96§ |
| Prothrombin activity (%)† | 75.0 (67.5–83.8) | 78.0 (63.3–88.8) | 0.68§ |
| Child–Pugh classification | 0.30¶ | ||
| Class A | 22 (81.5%) | 26 (74.3%) | |
| Class B | 5 (8.5%) | 6 (17.1%) | |
| Class C | 0 (0%) | 3 (8.6%) | |
| HBcAb positive | 8 (29.6%) | 10 (28.6%) | 0.93‡ |
| Tumour size (mm)* | 32.1 (15.1) | 27.6 (15.8) | 0.26§ |
| Number of nodules | 0.45‡ | ||
| UninodularUninodular | 16 (59.3%) | 24 (68.6%) | |
| MultinodularMultinodular | 11 (40.7%) | 11 (31.4%) | |
| AFP >100 ng/ml | 4 (14.8%) | 6 (17.1%) | 0.80‡ |
| DCP >100 mAU/ml | 5 (18.5%) | 7 (20.0%) | 0.88‡ |
| AFP-L3 >15% | 4 (14.8%) | 6 (17.1%) | 0.80‡ |
*Expressed as mean (SD). †Expressed as median (25th–75th percentiles). ‡χ2 tests. §Unpaired Student t test. ¶Cochran–Armitage test.
AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; AFP-L3, lens culinaris agglutinin-reactive fraction of AFP; AST, aspartate transaminase; BMI, body mass index; DCP, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin; HBcAb, hepatitis B core antibody; SFA, subcutaneous fat area; VFA, visceral fat area.