ADIPOQ and hepatocellular carcinoma: Subgroup analysis, according to the source of CFC group, showed HCC group had significantly higher AdipoQ levels than the healthy control group (SMD = 1.57, 95% CI (0.37, 2.76), P = 0.010), but there was no statistical difference compared with the chronic hepatitis group (SMD = 0.10, 95% CI (− 0.80, 1.00), P = 0.826) and the cirrhosis group (SMD = − 0.51, 95% CI (− 1.30, 0.29), P = 0.213) (Fig. 7 and Table 5).