Objective：To investigate the predictive factors of blood transfusion in liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods：The clinical data of 222 HCC patients undergoing liver resection were retrospectively analyzed to identify the clinicopathological factors that predict the probability of blood transfusion in liver resection for HCC.
Results：Following univariate logistic regression analyses, multivariate analyses were performed to identify the independent predictors of blood transfusion. The results revealed that eight variables could be as independent predictors of blood transfusion including cirrhosis, tumour size, main vessel invasion, resection extent, serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, direct bilirubin and indirect bilirubin, and preoperative hemoglobin concentration. From these variables, a logistic regression equation was derived to predict the probability of blood transfusion.
Conclusions：Analysis of the preoperative factors of blood transfusion in HCC patients to predict the likelihood of transfusion can be used to identify patients who are at high risk for blood transfusion and therefore to employ autologous blood transfusion, which may decrease the disadvantages of allogeneic blood transfusion.