Review for 10.1186/s12876-017-0678-6 (2017)

Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Sex and Ethnic/Racial -specific Risk Factors for Gallbladder Disease  
 
Version: 0 Date: 04 Sep 2016  
 
Reviewer: Jayaprakash Sreenarasimhaiah  
 
Reviewer's report:  
The study does not seem unique except in its subject size. This does not add new information - 
the epidemiology and risk factors of gallbladder disease has been very well described and studied 
as the authors also express in the introduction. Not sure how much more this paper adds. The 
novelty of this paper should be clarified.  
Inclusion of all chocystectomies for this study may not be as accurate. Not all patients have 
cholelithiasis and the rest have been called gallbladder disease because they had 
cholecystectomy. Is there pathology to show these were chronic cholecystitis at least. Many 
cholecystectomies are unnecessarily done (up to 40% in some studies) for gallbladder dyskinesia 
which is a controversial cause of abdominal pain as many will still have pain after 
cholecystectomy and should never have had this in the first place. It would be best to clarify the 
pathology or exclude those that were not with stones.  
Otherwise, a very large series and good statistical analysis  
 
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.  
Unable to assess  
Are the conclusions drawn adequa tely 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 recommende d, 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  
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