Reviewer's report 
 Measurement of the total antioxidant response using a novel automated method in subjects Title: 
with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis 
 5  18 April 2005 Version: Date: 
 Giulio Marchesini Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
Horioz et al report data on the total antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress in NAFLD patients using a novel automated method. The results confirm the antioxidant capacity is reduced, whereas metabolites indicative of stress are higher than normal. 
I have no competence to comment on the analytical method they propose, and will limit my report to 
clinical and methodological aspects of the study. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
Previous data on hepatic oxidative stress have already been published (Videla LA, Rodrigo R, Orellana M et al. Oxidative stress-related parameters in the liver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 
patients. Clin Sci (Lond) 2004; 106:261-8.) and also data on circulating oxidative stress are known 
(Chalasani N, Deeg MA, Crabb DW. Systemic levels of lipid peroxidation and its metabolic and 
dietary correlates in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Am J Gastroenterol 2004; 
99:1497-502.) and should be discussed and quoted. 
The Pearson test cannot be used to demonstrate a correlation between a parametric variable (TAR, 
OSI, or TBARS) and a nominal variable (histology). This correlation should be tested by Spearman 
correlation analysis. Better, the association should be tested by means of logistic regression, having 
histology as dependent variable and oxidative stress as independent, corrected for covariates. The 
association should also be tested the other way round, having oxidative stress above a definite 
cut-off as dependent variable. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
The clinical, demographic and histological data of NAFLD cases are not part of the results. They 
should be better placed in the Method section, after the exclusion criteria. The discussion should be reduced by 50% without any loss of information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
Figures do not add much (see above). They should be omitted or presented in a more compact way. 
 Reject because too small an advance to publish What next?: 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests 
Reviewer's report 
 Measurement of the total antioxidant response using a novel automated method in subjects Title: 
with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis 
 5  18 April 2005 Version: Date: 
 Giulio Marchesini Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
Horioz et al report data on the total antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress in NAFLD patients using a novel automated method. The results confirm the antioxidant capacity is reduced, whereas metabolites indicative of stress are higher than normal. 
I have no competence to comment on the analytical method they propose, and will limit my report to 
clinical and methodological aspects of the study. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
Previous data on hepatic oxidative stress have already been published (Videla LA, Rodrigo R, Orellana M et al. Oxidative stress-related parameters in the liver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 
patients. Clin Sci (Lond) 2004; 106:261-8.) and also data on circulating oxidative stress are known 
(Chalasani N, Deeg MA, Crabb DW. Systemic levels of lipid peroxidation and its metabolic and 
dietary correlates in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Am J Gastroenterol 2004; 
99:1497-502.) and should be discussed and quoted. 
The Pearson test cannot be used to demonstrate a correlation between a parametric variable (TAR, 
OSI, or TBARS) and a nominal variable (histology). This correlation should be tested by Spearman 
correlation analysis. Better, the association should be tested by means of logistic regression, having 
histology as dependent variable and oxidative stress as independent, corrected for covariates. The 
association should also be tested the other way round, having oxidative stress above a definite 
cut-off as dependent variable. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
The clinical, demographic and histological data of NAFLD cases are not part of the results. They 
should be better placed in the Method section, after the exclusion criteria. The discussion should be reduced by 50% without any loss of information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
Figures do not add much (see above). They should be omitted or presented in a more compact way. 
 Reject because too small an advance to publish What next?: 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Measurement of the total antioxidant response using a novel automated method in subjects Title: 
with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis 
 5  18 April 2005 Version: Date: 
 Giulio Marchesini Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
Horioz et al report data on the total antioxidant capacity and oxidative stress in NAFLD patients using a novel automated method. The results confirm the antioxidant capacity is reduced, whereas metabolites indicative of stress are higher than normal. 
I have no competence to comment on the analytical method they propose, and will limit my report to 
clinical and methodological aspects of the study. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
Previous data on hepatic oxidative stress have already been published (Videla LA, Rodrigo R, Orellana M et al. Oxidative stress-related parameters in the liver of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 
patients. Clin Sci (Lond) 2004; 106:261-8.) and also data on circulating oxidative stress are known 
(Chalasani N, Deeg MA, Crabb DW. Systemic levels of lipid peroxidation and its metabolic and 
dietary correlates in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Am J Gastroenterol 2004; 
99:1497-502.) and should be discussed and quoted. 
The Pearson test cannot be used to demonstrate a correlation between a parametric variable (TAR, 
OSI, or TBARS) and a nominal variable (histology). This correlation should be tested by Spearman 
correlation analysis. Better, the association should be tested by means of logistic regression, having 
histology as dependent variable and oxidative stress as independent, corrected for covariates. The 
association should also be tested the other way round, having oxidative stress above a definite 
cut-off as dependent variable. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author can be trusted to correct) 
The clinical, demographic and histological data of NAFLD cases are not part of the results. They 
should be better placed in the Method section, after the exclusion criteria. The discussion should be reduced by 50% without any loss of information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
Figures do not add much (see above). They should be omitted or presented in a more compact way. 
 Reject because too small an advance to publish What next?: 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests 
assistant