Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-0973-5 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Rapid decline of noninvasive fibrosis index values in patients with hepatitis C receiving 
treatment with direct -acting antiviral agents  
 
Version: 0 Date: 23 Dec 2018  
 
Reviewer: Pessoa De Almeida Lopes Edmundo  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The study design is simple evaluating some parameters b efore, during and after therapy of 
chronic hepatitis C with DAAs. The conclusion meets the objectives and the method applied 
before and after therapeutic intervention shows the results.  
However, the main issue to be reviewed is the form of the manuscript. The paper is too long and 
needs to be more concise and objective.  
Hence, the results are repeated in the Results and in Figures.  
We suggest doing a large Table with the data of the phases of the intervention on the top line and 
the variables analyzed in t he left column, removing the data described in the Results section.  
Some Tables should be suppressed and the data described at this new large Table.  
The averages of all variables evaluated would be accompanied by the respective SD.  
Finally, the Discussion section is too long and not very objective, we suggest reducing.  
 
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 contro ls? 
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:  
 
Needs some la nguage corrections before being published  
 
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 or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the futu re? 
 
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 acc epted 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 available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license (http://creativecommon s.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