Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0906-8 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: PREVALENCE OF AND RISK FACTORS FOR FATTY LIVER IN THE GENERAL 
POPULATION OF NORTHERN ITALY: THE BAGNACAVALLO STUDY  
 
Version: 2 Date: 26 Aug 2018  
 
Reviewer: Masahide Hamaguchi  
 
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Major comments  
Foschi et al performed a population based cohort study to estimate the prevalence of fatty liver 
disease in north Italy.  
This study encompasses an interesting topic, but  some problems are involved in this manuscript.  
 
Major comments  
1. Authors should avoid to use abbreviations in the abstract section.  
 
2. Authors used many abbreviations. General readers might not familiar  with some of them. 
Authors should avoid to use AI C, ALE, LUS.  
 
3. Methods section: Authors should explain how they select subjects, who received liver 
ultrasonography, from citizens without altered liver enzymes. Did all of the selected citizens 
receive ultrasonography? Please add the number of selected a nd the number of citizens who 
received ultrasonography.  
 
4. 28 subjects with altered liver enzymes didn't receive ultrasonography. However, authors 
declared "The study protocol specified that all ALE+ and at least 50% of ALE - citizens had 
to undergo liver u ltrasonography (LUS)"  
 
5. Please consider to add 95% CI in the figure 2.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please s pecify what is required in your comments 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 sh own?  
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 aspect s 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 declarati on 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 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 all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If you r reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests . 
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal