Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0558-5 (2017)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  High serum resistin associates with intrahepatic inflammation and necrosis: an index of 
disease severity for patients with chronic HBV infection  
 
Version: 0 Date: 18 Jul 2016 
 
Reviewer:  Hyun Woong  Lee 
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Dear Authors  
 
"Elev ated Serum Resistin Indicates Disease Severity in Patients with Hepatitis B" This is a study 
to investigate the association between serum resistin and fibrosis severity and the possible 
marker role of resistin in the inflammatory process of chronic hepatit is B.  
 
This is a well written paper that tries to address an issue that remains in clinical practice.  
 
However, there are major problems that should be address.  
 
1. In Patients and Methods, you already mentioned the criteria for HBV -related liver failure (L F-
B). However, the definition is very important in this article. Therefore, please describe precisely 
the definition of LF -B in your manuscript.  
 
2. The authors should present how many patients received nucleos(t)ide analogus (NA). What 
kinds of NA were us ed? It is an important point because NA therapy (including what kind of 
NA) will affect disease progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B.  
 
3. This manuscript shows just phenomenon. What is main mechanism of resistin in the 
inflammatory process of ch ronic hepatitis B? According to discussion, resistin acts as an 
intrahepatic cytokine with proinflammatory activity in HSCs. However, there were no data about 
those pathways in results. If TGF beta pathway or IL -17 is assumed to be main pathway, the 
author s should show the downstream of each pathway. Additional experiments are essential for 
this article. If it is impossible, please, describe these limitations in Discussion Part.  
 
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 am able to assess the statistics  
 
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 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 o r 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 al l 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 competi ng 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 accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
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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