The proportions of patients with serum bilirubin > 0.9 mg/dL and AFP ≥ 200 ng/mL did not differ significantly in the two groups, whereas the proportions of patients with serum albumin concentrations ≤ 3.5 mg/dL (18.3 vs. 33.1%; SMD = 0.345) and with portal hypertension (8.7 vs. 20.3%; SMD = 0.335) were lower in the SR plus IORFA group than in the TACE group. This evidence concerns the gene ALB and portal hypertension.