Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0802-2 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  HLA -DQ2 and -DQ8 genotype frequency in Syrian celiac disease children: HLA -DQ 
relative risks evaluation  
 
Version: 1 Date: 29 Apr 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Tatsuya  Kin 
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
I have read with great interest the manuscript entitled, "H LA-DQ2 and -DQ8 genotype frequency 
in Syrian celiac disease children: HLA -DQ relative risks evaluation.  This report presents a 
straightforward study of frequency of HLA -DQ2 and -DQ8 in pediatric patients with celiac 
disease in Syria.  As expected, the res ults are similar to other published studies from different 
countries.  These results do not present novel or actionable data or conclusions.  However, this 
study is unique and interesting because this is the first paper dealing with link between HLA -DQ 
and celiac disease in Syrian patients.  I have a few comments that the authors should address in 
order to improve the manuscript.  
 
1.The authors should describe more about control group.  Are they healthy volunteer?  What was 
the range of age?  Gender ratio?  The authors declare that they did not receive any funding.  How 
the laboratory tests of control subjects could be done without funding sources?  
 
2.The authors state that the written consent was obtained from the patient for publication.  
However, the autho rs do not mention about consent from control subjects.  Control subjects are 
also patients?  
 
3. All the patients in this study were followed at the Children's Hospital in Damascus?  The 
authors should clarify where the study was done.  
 
4. In tables, p value is listed as P=0.00 on several occasions .  Should be <0.01  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of wri tten English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain o r lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made av ailable under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be  included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal