Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01472-z (2020)

Reviewer’ s report
Title: Impact of low skeletal muscle mass index and perioperative blood transfusion on the
prognosis for HCC following curative resection
Version: 1Date: 18 Jun 2020
Reviewer's report:
After revision, the manuscript significantly improved. However, I still have some remarks.
- Median follow up and survival rates should be described in the results section.- Preoperative Hb should be added.- ''and transfusion-related immune response wasconsidered as independent risk factors for HCC'' in the conclusion is wrong in two ways: 1. it isnot a risk factor for HCC, but a prognostic factor in patients with HCC; 2. From the results of thecurrent study, you are not able to conclude that the transfusion-related immune response is aprognostic factor, only that blood transfusion itself (and not a possible mechanism) is associtedwith poor survival compared with no blood transfusion.- advanced surgical techniques to decrease blood loss are adviced; however, this is rather a generalstatement. I think that the patients with low muscle mass and the need for blood transfusion mightbe those with the more challenging diseases and consequently more challenging procedures?
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