Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01324-w (2020)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Nomogram based on blood lipoprotein for estimation of mortality in patients with hepatitis  
B virus -related acute -on-chronic liver failure  
 
Version: 2 Date:  17 Apr 2020  
 
Reviewer: Jian-Ming Zheng  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
I am honored to review this manuscript. This study aimed to formulate and validate a nomogram 
model based on blood lipoprotein for prediction of 3 -month mortality in patients with hepatitis B 
virus (HBV) -related ACLF. In this study, 393 consecutive patients with HBV -related ACLF 
were retrospectively reviewed. 260 patients who were collected in an earlier period formed the 
training cohort for the development of nomogram, while 133 patients who were collected 
thereafter f ormed the validation cohort for confirming the performance of nomogram.  
 
 
 
 
MAJOR COMMENTS  
 
1. The results can be written more clearly. The cut -off value of LDL -C can be calculated. The 
"Kaplan -Meier survival analysis revealed that the high LDL -C was significa ntly associated with 
elevated overall survival (P&lt;0.001)" can be rewritten as "Kaplan -Meier survival analysis 
revealed that the high LDL -C (LDL -C≥?, cut -off value) was significantly associated with 
elevated overall survival (P&lt;0.001)" in abstract.  
 
 
2. LDL -C should have the corresponding unit in line 169. mmol/L?  
 
 
3. The value of LDL -C, [Low group (LDL -C ≤ 0.5 mmol/L ), middle group (0.5&lt; LDL -C &lt; 
1.0 mmol/L), and high group (LDL -C ≥ 1.0 mmol/L)] can be directly marked in Fig. 1, so that it 
can be r ead conveniently.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 necess ary 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 st atistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written 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, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or 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 o f 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 understan d that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or 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 available 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 i n my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal