Title: Prognostic Value of Plasma Level of Superoxide Dismutase in HBV-related Acute-on-
chronic Liver Failure
Version: 5 Date: 30 May 2022
Reviewer's report:
Major comments:
• Multivariate analysis: Creatinine, as well as INR and Bilirubin are components of MELD
score. Inclusion of highly related variables leads to collinearity problems making analysis
unreliable. Authors should choose between including MELD score or its components separately
in multivariate analysis, not both.
• Line 270-271: Authors should justify or otherwise modify their statement that “We found that
oxidative stress not only participates in the initiation step but also in the whole pathogenesis
process”. This study is about the prognostic value of SOD levels. Study methods and analysis
does not support such conclusion.
• Line 272: Please rephrase “The exclusion of HBV might be one of the reasons why the MELD
score is less suitable for HBV-ACLF patients”
• Table 5. It would be of great interest if authors could compare also inflammatory markers other
than white blood cells, as CRP or neutrophil count / percentage between the two groups.
• Line 181: Authors should also compare SOD levels between ETV withdrawal and non ETV
groups.
Minor comments:
Line 53: Authors could write “with chronic liver disease” instead of “due to chronic”
Line 74: Please rephrase: categorized as intrahepatic or extrahepatic events, during pathogenesis.
Line 90: Please expand ROS
Line 114: Please use “for” instead of “of ACLF”
Line 115: Please use “for” instead of “based on CHB”
Line 138: Please use “measured: instead of “detected”
Line 159: Please rephrase “Clinical events were defined by the presence of complications”.
Lines 175-181: Please provide unit of measurement for SOD
Line 179: Authors could write “compared to the ETV group” instead of “compared to in the
ETV group”
Lines 220-221: Please rephrase “high short-time mortality in patients due to chronic liver
diseases”.
Line 226: Please rephrase : «due to their effective ability”
Lines 229-234: Please rephrase as “Oxidative stress has been shown to participate in the
pathogenesis of advanced liver failure” seems to duplicate “Also, oxidative stress has been
shown to be important in activating the initial steps of various disorders, including hepatic
failure”
Lines 254-256: Please add references
Title: Prognostic Value of Plasma Level of Superoxide Dismutase in HBV-related Acute-on-
chronic Liver Failure
Version: 5 Date: 30 May 2022
Reviewer's report:
Major comments:
• Multivariate analysis: Creatinine, as well as INR and Bilirubin are components of MELD
score. Inclusion of highly related variables leads to collinearity problems making analysis
unreliable. Authors should choose between including MELD score or its components separately
in multivariate analysis, not both.
• Line 270-271: Authors should justify or otherwise modify their statement that “We found that
oxidative stress not only participates in the initiation step but also in the whole pathogenesis
process”. This study is about the prognostic value of SOD levels. Study methods and analysis
does not support such conclusion.
• Line 272: Please rephrase “The exclusion of HBV might be one of the reasons why the MELD
score is less suitable for HBV-ACLF patients”
• Table 5. It would be of great interest if authors could compare also inflammatory markers other
than white blood cells, as CRP or neutrophil count / percentage between the two groups.
• Line 181: Authors should also compare SOD levels between ETV withdrawal and non ETV
groups.
Minor comments:
Line 53: Authors could write “with chronic liver disease” instead of “due to chronic”
Line 74: Please rephrase: categorized as intrahepatic or extrahepatic events, during pathogenesis.
Line 90: Please expand ROS
Line 114: Please use “for” instead of “of ACLF”
Line 115: Please use “for” instead of “based on CHB”
Line 138: Please use “measured: instead of “detected”
Line 159: Please rephrase “Clinical events were defined by the presence of complications”.
Lines 175-181: Please provide unit of measurement for SOD
Line 179: Authors could write “compared to the ETV group” instead of “compared to in the
ETV group”
Lines 220-221: Please rephrase “high short-time mortality in patients due to chronic liver
diseases”.
Line 226: Please rephrase : «due to their effective ability”
Lines 229-234: Please rephrase as “Oxidative stress has been shown to participate in the
pathogenesis of advanced liver failure” seems to duplicate “Also, oxidative stress has been
shown to be important in activating the initial steps of various disorders, including hepatic
failure”
Lines 254-256: Please add references
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Prognostic Value of Plasma Level of Superoxide Dismutase in HBV-related Acute-on-
chronic Liver Failure
Version: 5 Date: 30 May 2022
Reviewer's report:
Major comments:
• Multivariate analysis: Creatinine, as well as INR and Bilirubin are components of MELD
score. Inclusion of highly related variables leads to collinearity problems making analysis
unreliable. Authors should choose between including MELD score or its components separately
in multivariate analysis, not both.
• Line 270-271: Authors should justify or otherwise modify their statement that “We found that
oxidative stress not only participates in the initiation step but also in the whole pathogenesis
process”. This study is about the prognostic value of SOD levels. Study methods and analysis
does not support such conclusion.
• Line 272: Please rephrase “The exclusion of HBV might be one of the reasons why the MELD
score is less suitable for HBV-ACLF patients”
• Table 5. It would be of great interest if authors could compare also inflammatory markers other
than white blood cells, as CRP or neutrophil count / percentage between the two groups.
• Line 181: Authors should also compare SOD levels between ETV withdrawal and non ETV
groups.
Minor comments:
Line 53: Authors could write “with chronic liver disease” instead of “due to chronic”
Line 74: Please rephrase: categorized as intrahepatic or extrahepatic events, during pathogenesis.
Line 90: Please expand ROS
Line 114: Please use “for” instead of “of ACLF”
Line 115: Please use “for” instead of “based on CHB”
Line 138: Please use “measured: instead of “detected”
Line 159: Please rephrase “Clinical events were defined by the presence of complications”.
Lines 175-181: Please provide unit of measurement for SOD
Line 179: Authors could write “compared to the ETV group” instead of “compared to in the
ETV group”
Lines 220-221: Please rephrase “high short-time mortality in patients due to chronic liver
diseases”.
Line 226: Please rephrase : «due to their effective ability”
Lines 229-234: Please rephrase as “Oxidative stress has been shown to participate in the
pathogenesis of advanced liver failure” seems to duplicate “Also, oxidative stress has been
shown to be important in activating the initial steps of various disorders, including hepatic
failure”
Lines 254-256: Please add references
assistant