Table 1

Multivariate analysis for RFS and OS

Covariates	RFS				OS
	Before IPTW-adjustment		After IPTW-adjustment		Before IPTW-adjustment		After IPTW-adjustment
	HR (95% CI)	P value	HR (95% CI)	P value	HR (95% CI)	P value	HR (95% CI)	P value
Solitary
LR versus LT	3.79 (1.93 to 7.46)	<0.001	3.66 (1.80 to 7.44)	<0.001	2.33 (1.10 to 4.91)	0.027	1.62 (0.74 to 3.55)	0.226
LA versus LT	9.56 (5.11 to 17.89)	<0.001	10.28 (5.22 to 20.23)	<0.001	6.42 (3.34 to 12.31)	<0.001	6.07 (3.13 to 11.75)	<0.001
LA versus LR	2.52 (1.60 to 3.98)	<0.001	2.81 (1.75 to 4.50)	<0.001	2.76 (1.55 to 4.92)	<0.001	3.74 (2.00 to 7.02)	<0.001
Multiple
LR versus LT	7.94 (3.19 to 19.75)	<0.001	12.40 (4.60 to 33.44)	<0.001	5.56 (2.31 to 13.36)	<0.001	4.04 (1.78 to 9.16)	<0.001
LA versus LT	6.04 (2.36 to 15.44)	<0.001	7.14 (2.47 to 20.67)	<0.001	2.38 (0.92 to 6.18)	0.075	1.79 (0.71 to 4.52)	0.219
LA versus LR	0.76 (0.40 to 1.46)	0.409	0.58 (0.29 to 1.14)	0.115	0.43 (0.20 to 0.90)	0.025	0.44 (0.20 to 0.98)	0.043
Operation
LT: multiple versus solitary	1.27 (0.46 to 3.49)	0.649	0.75 (0.25 to 2.25)	0.605	1.43 (0.56 to 3.66)	0.461	1.56 (0.65 to 3.79)	0.322
LR: multiple versus solitary	2.65 (1.48 to 4.74)	0.001	2.53 (1.46 to 4.38)	<0.001	3.40 (1.77 to 6.56)	<0.001	3.90 (1.94 to 7.84)	<0.001
LA: multiple versus solitary	0.80 (0.44 to 1.45)	0.458	0.52 (0.28 to 0.96)	0.035	0.53 (0.27 to 1.04)	0.065	0.46 (0.22 to 0.96)	0.038
Gender (male)					1.99 (1.14 to 3.47)	0.016	2.65 (1.40 to 5.03)	0.003
Aetiology
HCV versus HBV	0.57 (0.26 to 1.26)	0.164	0.65 (0.28 to 1.52)	0.318	0.81 (0.34 to 1.95)	0.643	0.93 (0.38 to 2.27)	0.880
Others versus HBV	1.72 (1.05 to 2.80)	0.031	1.80 (1.06 to 3.06)	0.029	2.47 (1.43 to 4.27)	0.001	2.21 (1.21 to 4.04)	0.010
Others versus HCV	3.03 (1.25 to 7.35)	0.014	2.78 (1.07 to 7.21)	0.035	3.03 (1.15 to 8.02)	0.025	2.37 (0.86 to 6.48)	0.094
In(AFP) (ng/mL)	1.09 (1.00 to 1.18)	0.039	1.08 (0.99 to 1.18)	0.078
ALBI score	1.35 (1.03 to 1.76)	0.031	1.37 (1.04 to 1.82)	0.027	1.51 (1.12 to 2.02)	0.006	1.35 (1.00 to 1.83)	0.051
Tumour size (cm) (3–5 vs ≤3)	1.43 (0.97 to 2.11)	0.075

Variables that achieved significance at the 0.1 level in the univariate Cox proportional hazards (PH) model were included in the multivariate analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using R V.3.5.2, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
AFP, α-fetoprotein; ALBI, albumin-bilirubin; OS, overall survival; PH, proportional hazards; RFS, recurrence-free survival.