ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the value of hemoglobin (Hb) for predicting contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients underwent TACE. Methods Totally 250 patients with primary HCC underwent 417 times of TACE were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were matched by using propensity score matching (PSM) method. The risk factors of CIN were assessed with univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis. The efficiency of Hb for predicting CIN was evaluated by using ROC analysis. Results Before PSM, there were 85 times with low Hb and 332 times with normal Hb among 417 times of TACE. After PSM, 74 pairs (i.e.74 times with low Hb and 74 times with normal Hb) were successfully matched. Before PSM, the incidence of CIN was 10.59% (9/85) in low Hb ones and 4.52% (15/332) of normal Hb ones, diabetes mellitus, Hb, creatinine and bilirubin were independent factors of CIN (all P<0.05). After PSM, the incidence of CIN was 10.81% (8/74) in low Hb ones and 4.05% (3/74) of normal Hb ones, and Hb was an independent predictor of CIN (P<0.05). ROC results showed that the optimal cut-off point of Hb for predicting CIN in female HCC patients following TACE was 93.5 g/L, with a sensitivity of 91.9% and specificity of 75.0%, AUC of 0.83. Hb of 104.0 g/L was determined as the optimal cut-off point for predicting CIN in male HCC patients following TACE, with sensitivity, specificity and AUC of 90.8%, 36.0% and 0.65 respectively. Conclusion: Hb is an independent risk factor for development of CIN in HCC patients following TACE.