Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-0972-6 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Prevalence and Long -term Outcomes of Non -alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among 
Elderly Individuals from the United States  
 
Version: 0 Date: 10 Mar 2019 
 
Reviewer:  Ching -Sheng  Hsu 
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
This is a well -designed study that provides important data regarding NAFLD in the elder U.S. 
peoples.  
 
I have a few queries on this paper.  
 
1. Have the authors examined the competing risk factors of mortality that confounding the 
analysis in this study? If not, the authors need to examine the competing risk factors of mortality.  
 
2.  Because age is a factor for calculating NAFLD fibrosis scores, the authors should take care of 
this when examining the association of liver fibrosis and NAFLD in elder patients.  
 
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 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 q uestions:  
 
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 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  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal