Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1014-0 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Influence of HLA on clinical and analytical features of pediatric celiac disease  
 
Version: 0 Date: 10 Dec 2018  
 
Reviewer: María E. Mejía -León  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manuscript of Martínez -Ojinaga et al., entitled "Influence of HLA on clinical and analytical 
features of pediatric celiac disease" is an original article that evaluates the effect of HLA -DQ 
genotypes in the clinical, serological and histological presentation of celiac disease (CD).  
 
It is a relevant work in the field that included large sample size and results that could be 
important to understand the variability in CD clinical presentation. The authors highlight the 
relevance of the genotype evaluation by its negative predictive value, but also as a possible 
indicator on the form of presentation of the disease, which has been a controversial point in 
previous studies.  
 
However, doubts arise about the age of the study p articipants. The authors report a general 
other analyzes they show larger means per groups when they compare the clinical presentation 
(page 7), which gives me  the idea that the ages of the patients are more dispersed and there is 
probably an inconsistency with the average and SD shown at the beginning, so please verify and 
confirm this data. It is probably more representative just to describe it as means and ra nges.  
 
It would be appropriate to make an analysis where the autoantibodies titters are used as an 
adjustment variable when evaluating the effect of the allelic dose, to avoid the possible 
confounding effect and to determine if the observed effect is actua lly due to the genotype.  
 
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify wh at 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.  
 
No 
 
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 requ ire 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 declarat ion 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 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 pat ents 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 decl are that I have no competing interests  
 
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