Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01190-6 (2020)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Blood carnitine profiling on tandem mass spectrometry in liver cirrho tic patients  
 
Version: 0 Date: 17 Dec 2019  
 
Reviewer: Arif Cosar  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
I read the manu script titled as"Blood carnitine profiling on tandem mass spectrometry in liver 
cirrhotic patients " carefully. I think it is very interesting and could be useful in daily practices. 
But as you mentioned, the study has some limitations as small sample size  and, retrospectice 
desing and, lack of control group.  
 
 
I heve a few questions:  
 
Is there a relationship with etiology of cirrhosis and the levels of carnitine and its fractions?  
 
Do normal values of carnitine and its  fractions differ non cirrhotic persons' BMI, age, etc? And 
if yes, is it significant?  
 
How do you explain the diffrence of the relationship  of carnitine fractions and parameters you 
investigated?  
 
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.  
 
No 
 
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 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 reimburs ements, 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 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 a ll 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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