Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Effect of Simvastatin on Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein -1 Expression in 
Endometriosis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial  
 
Version: 0 Date: 26 Mar 2017 
 
Reviewer:  Marwan  Habiba  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
This is an interesting manuscript which describes the effect of short term treatment with 
Simvastatin in MCP -1in serum a nd on MCP -1 and CD68 genes in Endometriosis. Patients were 
randomised into two groups of 20; one receiving simvastatin and the other receiving placebo. 
Ethics approval was obtained. The study did not demonstrate any difference in serum MCP -1 in 
the two gro ups after treatment. Apparently, there was a difference when the simvastatin group 
comparing the before and after treatment, but not in the control. Whilst the validity of the 
before/after treatment comparison must be questioned, the rationale why the base line value for 
the controls is not provided is unclear. Please provide these (page 15 line 17).  
 
Please provide an explantation of the use of beta actin and GAPDH.  
 
1`Please remove 'intolerable' from line 5 page 4.  
 
Page 15, line 17:predicting endometriotic... what?  
 
The table 1 shows that equal numbers in both arms had stage  3 or 4 endometriosis, but the 
biopsy site was not described. Please provide detailed and describe how endometriosis tissue 
used in PCR was sepa rated from underlying tissue. Also, please describe the derivation of the 
Relative PCR figures provided in table 2.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and wel l 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 ad equately 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 recommend additional statistical review  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
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 fr om 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 f or 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 your 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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I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal