Table 4 Linear contrast analysis of carnitine and acylcarnitine across Con, HCV and HCC

C0

 − 5.707

 < 0.001

 − 7.029

 < 0.001

AC2

 − 6.849

 < 0.001

 − 9.192

 < 0.001

AC3

 − 5.125

 < 0.001

 − 6.641

 < 0.001

AC3DC

 − 0.318

0.751

 − 0.388

0.699

AC4

 − 3.509

0.001

 − 5.456

 < 0.001

AC5

1.432

0.154

2.268

0.026

AC5DC

0.102

0.919

0.119

0.906

AC6

 − 0.892

0.374

 − 0.949

0.349

AC8

5.307

 < 0.001

4.373

 < 0.001

AC10

0.846

0.399

1.731

0.089

AC10-1

 − 5.819

 < 0.001

 − 9.075

 < 0.001

AC12

 − 1.112

0.268

 − 3.143

0.002

AC14

 − 2.795

0.006

 − 4.01

 < 0.001

AC16

 − 6.464

 < 0.001

 − 9.285

 < 0.001

AC18

 − 3.189

0.002

 − 2.83

0.008

AC18-1

 − 3.602

 < 0.001

 − 5.878

 < 0.001