AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Patients with HCC incidence were older (57 ± 9.0 years, P = 0.001), had a longer duration of CHB infection (median 166 months, range 12–514 months, P = 0.001), presented higher levels of ALT and AST (median 70 U/L, range 16–239 U/L, P = <0.05 and 42 U/L, range 17–153 U/L, P = <0.024, respectively), reflecting a higher inflammatory activity,[34,35] as well as higher levels of AFP (median 33 kU/L, range 2–2030 kU/L, P = 0.001) and a higher rate of liver cirrhosis (52%, P = 0.001) and arterial hypertension (36%, P = 0.004) at baseline.