Table 1 Baseline characteristics in cohort generated by PSM

Age, years

55 (29–70)

54 (28–70)

0.663

Sex, female: male

30: 185

29: 186

0.889

Diabetes mellitus, yes: no

33: 182

24: 191

0.201

AFP, μg/L ≥ 20, yes: no

95: 120

104: 111

0.384

Tumor number, single: multiple

162: 53

163: 52

0.911

Liver cirrhosis, yes: no

51: 164

52: 163

0.910

Diameter, cm

2.4 (0.8–5.0)

2.4 (0.9–5.0)

0.221

BCLC staging 0: 1

59: 156

52: 163

0.440

ECOG, 0: 1: 2

102: 107: 6

93: 116: 6

0.678

Total bilirubin, μmol/L

14.6 (3.5–50.4)

15.1 (6.3–49.4)

0.437

Albumin, g/L

41.5 (27.1–52.8)

42 (26.1–52.1)

0.626

Platelets, 10⁹/L

127 (40–372)

118 (41–295)

0.092

Prothrombin time, s

12.5 (10.1–16)

12.4 (10.3–15.6)

0.829

GGT, U/L

48 (9–762)

57 (7–844)

0.069

ALP, U/L

80 (16–273)

83 (29–443)

0.357

ALT, U/L

31.4 (7.9–212.3)

31.3 (6.2–290.1)

0.538

Creatinine, μmol/L

67 (4–155)

68 (28–273)

0.517

AFU, U/L

25 (6–57)

26 (5–60)

0.635

HBsAg, positive: negative

210: 5

210:5

1.000

HBeAg, positive: negative

55: 160

55: 160

1.000

HBV-DNA, IU/mL, ≥ 2000: < 2000

85: 130

87: 128

0.844

HBV reactivation, yes: no

27: 188

22: 193

0.448