title: Fever after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: incidence and risk factor analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Post-treatment fever frequently occurs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), but its incidence and clinical significance are unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors for fever after TACE in HCC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one consecutive HCC patients undergoing 73 sessions of TACE were included in the study. The incidence and possible risk factors associated with post-TACE fever were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-nine (67%) episodes of fever developed in 30 (73%) HCC patients after TACE, but none of the patients developed bacterial infection after TACE. Patients who developed fever were of younger age, had larger tumors, a higher dose of chemoembolization agents and a higher embolized volume compared with those without fever. Multivariate logistic regression disclosed that a dosage of doxorubicin plus iodized oil > 23 during chemoembolization and tumor size > 3 cm were significant predictors associated with the development ofpost-TACE fever (odds ratio: 3.749, 95% CI: 1.188-11.830, p = 0.024 and odds ratio: 3.599, 95% CI: 1.107-11.706, p = 0.033, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fever after TACE is common, but infectious complications are rare. Chemoembolization dosage and tumor size are predictive of fever after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and may be of help in the prevention and care of this distressing complication.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. cpli@vghtpe.gov.tw
authors.forename: Chung-Pin
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Li-Tzong
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rheun-Chuan
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wei-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeng-Nian
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Sang-Hue
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Shou-Dong
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D005334:Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents