Multivariate analysis identified male sex (HR = 2.08; 95% CI 1.06–4.04, p = 0.031), diabetes mellitus (HR = 2.51; 95% CI 1.27–4.95, p = 0.008), white blood cell count at baseline (HR = 0.99; 95% CI 0.99–0.99, p = 0.001), and prothrombin activity at baseline (HR = 0.97; 95% CI 0.96–0.99, p = 0.002) as independent factors that contributed to the development of HCC (Table S1) Age and platelet count were excluded in the multivariate analysis because they are confounding factors of the FIB-4 index. Here, F2 is linked to diabetes mellitus.