ALB and hepatocellular carcinoma: Subsequently, these factors were further evaluated through bidirectional stepwise variable selection in a weighted multivariate Cox analysis, which identified several independent risk factors for HCC: MASLD (adjusted HR, 10.191; 95% CI, 4.327–24.002; p < 0.001), ALB levels (adjusted HR, 0.882; 95% CI, 0.827–0.941; p < 0.001), HBV DNA concentration ≥6 log10 IU/mL (adjusted HR, 0.168; 95% CI, 0.049–0.574; p = 0.004), and HBeAg positivity (adjusted HR, 4.309; 95% CI, 1.220–15.225; p = 0.023).