ALB and hepatocellular carcinoma: Based on Cox proportional hazards analysis, old age (HR, 1.04; 95% CI 1.03–1.05; p < 0.001), male gender (HR, 1.90; 95% CI 1.43–2.51; p < 0.001), liver cirrhosis (HR, 3.20; 95% CI 2.43–4.20; p < 0.001), low platelet count (HR, 0.994; 95% CI 0.992–0.996; p < 0.001), low albumin level (HR, 0.77; 95% CI 0.65–0.91; p = 0.002) and high FIB-4 (HR, 1.02; 95% CI 1.01–1.04; p = 0.012) were independent risk factors for HCC development (Table 3).