title: The Association Between Body Mass Index and the Prognosis and Postoperative Complications of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis.
abstract: Previous studies have reported the association between excess body mass index (BMI) and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, whether BMI is associated with the prognosis and postoperative complications of HCC is still not clear.We searched PubMed and Embase for relevant studies published until the date of August 30, 2014. Additional studies were manually identified by searching reference lists of retrieved articles. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs for postoperative complications were calculated using random effects or fixed effects models according to heterogeneities between studies.A total of 14 studies were included in the present meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that excess BMI was not significantly associated with improved OS (HR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.74-1.19, P = 0.588) or DFS (HR = 0.93; 95% CI: 0.79-1.10, P = 0.382). In addition, higher BMI was not associated with increased rate of a number of complications including ascites (RR = 1.25, 95% CI: 0.94-1.65, P = 0.119), bile leaks (RR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.81-1.83, P = 0.345), and 30-day mortality (RR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.57-1.96, P = 0.871). However, HCC patients with higher BMI had increased incidence of wound infections (RR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.28-3.68, P = 0.004).BMI was not an independent prognostic factor for the evaluation of the prognosis in HCC patients, and it was not associated with postoperative complications except for wound infections that as significantly associated with higher BMI scores.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital (XR); Department of Oncology, Traditional Chinese Medicine-Integrated Hospital (XR, QG, JR, AL, RL); Cancer Research Institute, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou (FW, HS); Department of Oncology, Changzhou No.2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou (QG); and Guangzhou Digestive Disease Center, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China (FW).
authors.forename: Xiaoxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Hongfen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rongcheng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate