Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1115-9 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Elevated serum triglyceride and low -density lipoprotein cho lesterol promotes the 
formation of colorectal poly ps 
 
Version: 0 Date: 18 Jul 2018  
 
Reviewer: Yigang Wang  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manuscript "Elevated serum t riglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol promoted 
the formation of colorectal polyps" submitted by Xie et al. described that increased serum levels 
of LDL -C were correlated to the formation of colorectal polyps, especially for advanced 
adenoma. Increased LDL -C was less sensitive than TG in distinguishing patients with polyps 
from controls, but with higher specificity. However, before considering for publishing in the 
BMGE, some questions should be issued.  
 
1. The language expression throughout th e manuscript is too long and should be simplified and 
clearly described. The manuscript should be well summarized. For example:: The study aimed to 
compare the differences in serum levels of lipids and lipoproteins between patients and the 
controls and to evaluate the correlation between lipidemia and the formation of colorectal polyps.  
 
2. The authors described that both hyperlipidemia and colorectal polyps are correlated with age. 
They should give the detailed evidence to explain their viewpoint. Moreover,  the discussion is so 
superficial, and just has phenomenon without any reference to support their finding and 
molecular mechanisms.  
 
3. There are some incorrect descriptions in this manuscript. For example: One hundred and 
twenty -one patients and forty -eight volunteers with colorectal polyps were included in the study.  
 
4. In Methods, authors should detailedly describe the experimental protocol. It includes 
"enzymatic assay" in the sentence "The concentration of serum lipids and lipoproteins were 
measured by  an enzymatic assay", and the Classfication Criteria in the sentence "The colorectal 
lesions were classified based on pathological characteristics. Four types of colorectal lesions 
were identified in the study: hyperplastic polyp (HP), tubular adenoma (TA) , tubulovillous 
adenoma (TVA) and adenoma with high -grade dysplasia (A -HGD)".  
 
5. The author should reorganize this paragraph, because the focus is difficult to understand. "The 
LDL -C values were increased significantly whether or not the polyps were larger  than 10mm 
(p&lt;0.05). The LDL -C value for patients with advanced adenoma was higher than that of 
controls (p=0.002), but the difference was not significant between patients with and without 
advanced adenoma (p&gt;0.05)".  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comme nts to the authors.  
No 
 
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 co mments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics 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 am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language 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, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the 
public ation 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 curre ntly 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 g ive 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 for publication, my named rep ort 
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 in 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