Objective The aim of the study is to identify the risk factors for infections in cirrhosis patients with hepatocarcinoma.Methods a case control study were employed.a total of 286 patients hospitalized between 1999 and 2003 were included in.Patients who developed infection complication were defined as cases,the remains were controls.the data of possible risk factors,including serum levels of albumin,prothrombin time (PT),total bilirubin(T-Bil),child-pugh score,ascite,Esophageal variceal bleeding,total cholesterol(T-chol),other complication,the total white blood cell (wbc),surgery,and days of hospitalization,were retrospective collected.According multivariate logistic regression model,the potential risk factors were assessed.Result infections developed in 127(43.34%) patients and 100(78%) of these developed infection during hospitalization.There was no significant difference between cirrhosis patients with and without hepatocarcinoma,which infection rate was 41.4%(P=0.25).The mortality rate of cases was 54.3% (69/127),which is significantly higher than control(12.5%,P=0.008). 55 patients(30.7%) had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (sbp).Bacterial culture of samples were prepared from 97of 127 patients (76.4%),and were positive in 62(63.9%) patients.Although of these culture -positive samples,35(56.4%) samples were Gram-negitive bacterial strains,8 of 15 samples from patients developed sepsis were Gram-positive bacterial.On multivariate analysis,the Alb level and days of hospitalization were the independent risk factors for cirrhosis patients with hepatocarcinoma developed infection complication.the odds ratio was 0.33(95%CI 0.32～0.55),0.23(95%CI 0.14～0.38) respective.Conclusions Cirrhosis patients with hepatocarcinamo with low Alb level and long days of hospitalization should be carefully treated,and administration of broad spectrum antibiotic covering Gram-positive bacterial needs to be considered in treatment of sepsis.