The predictive value of the preoperative albumin‐to‐fibrinogen ratio for postoperative hospital length of stay in liver cancer patients

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant global health burden, with postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS) impacting patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Existing nutritional, inflammatory, and coagulation indices can predict LOS, with particular interest in albumin, fibrinogen, and D‐dimer. This study investigates the predictive value of preoperative albumin‐to‐fibrinogen ratio (AFR) and albumin‐to‐D‐dimer ratio (ADR) for postoperative LOS in HCC patients. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 462 adult HCC patients who underwent partial hepatic lesion excision between February 2016 and August 2022. We analyzed demographic and clinical data, including preoperative blood samples, surgical approach, and LOS. The primary outcome measure was LOS, calculated from the date of surgery to the date of hospital discharge. Preoperative AFR and ADR were calculated. The ROC curves determined optimal cutoff points. The Cox proportional hazards model, Kaplan–Meier method, and the log‐rank test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The study established an optimal AFR cutoff value of 15.474, with a higher AUC value than ADR, indicating superior predictive potential for postoperative LOS. Participants with high‐AFR (AFR > 15.474) had a shorter median LOS (13 vs. 15 days, p < 0.001) compared to those with low‐AFR (AFR ≤15.474). Multivariate analysis revealed high‐AFR (HR: 1.99; p < 0.001) as a positive influence on LOS reduction, whereas Child–Pugh rated as B (HR: 0.49; p < 0.001), laparotomy (HR: 0.37; p < 0.001) and total bilirubin >20.5 μmol/L (HR: 0.58; p < 0.001) negatively impacted LOS reduction. Subgroup analysis confirmed AFR's predictive ability for patients experiencing reduced or prolonged LOS due to Child–Pugh score, surgical methods, and total bilirubin concentrations. Even within normal albumin and fibrinogen levels, patients with high‐AFR exhibited a shorter LOS (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the value of the AFR as a reliable predictor of LOS in HCC patients. An AFR greater than 15.474 consistently correlated with a shorter LOS, suggesting its potential clinical utility in guiding perioperative management and resource allocation in HCC patients.