Predictive value of early-stage postoperative albumin–bilirubin grade on the overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing resection

Objectives The albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) and ΔALBI grades have attracted substantial attention for their ability to predict the overall survival (OS) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the ALBI grade at different time points for the OS of patients with HCC who underwent surgical resection. Methods The clinical data of patients with HCC who underwent radical resection in our hospital were collected and analyzed. The survival rate was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test. The risk factors influencing OS were identified via univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Results A total of 104 patients with HCC were included in this study. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates of these patients were 91.3%, 64.0%, and 60.2%, respectively. The OS rates were significantly higher in patients with early-stage postoperative ALBI grade 2 than in those with grade 3 ( P < 0.001); however, the preoperative ALBI grade, later-stage postoperative ALBI grade, ΔALBI grade (early stage), or ΔALBI grade (later stage) did not affect the OS rate. Furthermore, resection of ≥3 Couinaud liver segments [hazard ratio (HR) = 4.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.32–9.67; P < 0.001], occurrence of postoperative complications (HR = 2.95; 95% CI, 1.38–6.31; P = 0.005), and early-stage postoperative ALBI grade 3 (HR = 2.50; 95% CI, 1.18–5.31; P = 0.02) were identified as independent risk factors for the OS of patients with HCC. Conclusion Early-stage postoperative ALBI grade can be used to predict the OS of patients with HCC who have undergone radical hepatectomy. Early-stage postoperative ALBI grade 3, resection of ≥3 Couinaud liver segments, and occurrence of postoperative complications are independent risk factors affecting the OS of these patients.