Serum FGF21 levels were measured in 33 acute hepatitis B (AHB), 75 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 66 CHB patients with advanced liver diseases including liver cirrhosis, acute-on-chronic liver failure (ALCF) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) together with 200 age- and BMI-matched healthy controls. Here, FGF21 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.