Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant portal vein complications in orthotopic liver
transplantation: a propensity score analysis
Version: 
0 
Date: 
13 Jul 2020
Reviewer's report:
The paper entitled "Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant morbidity in orthotopic liver
transplantation: a propensity score analysis" is a retrospective analysis from one centre 
based on 329 liver
transplantations. The authors analysed the role of platelets on the postoperative morbidity after liver
transplantation.
Basing on their research they concluded that preoperative platelet count > 49.5×10 9 /L was an
independent risk factor for post 
transplant portal vein complication. 
I have one remark. Most patients undergoing liver transplantation have low platelet counts, first of all due
to hypersplenism. Meanwhile, in the authors' material over 50% of patients had platelet count > 49.5×10
9 /L. In my opinion this contradiction requires explanation.
Furtherly, I have two questions. 
Firstly, were the patients in both groups treated equally after liver transplantation in aspect of
anticoagulation prophylaxis?
Secondly, were the patients with hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome) among those with the
indications for liver transplantation? This is important because this group of patients often has
haematological disorders that lead to hypercoagulation. If such patients were included in the study, did this
affect the number of complications in the form of portal vein thrombosis. 
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Yes
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
Unable to assess
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 adequately 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 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 declaration 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 your
reply is yes to any, please give details below.
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Reviewer Publication Consent.
 I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access
Creative Commons CC-BY License (
 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
) if this manuscript is
accepted for publication. Any comments that I do not wish to be included in the published report have
been included as confidential comments to the editor, which will not be published.
If you are not happy for us to publish this report, please contact the editorial office before completing
the review.
If you wish, you can include your name in your published report. Please note you must decide whether
to include your name at the start of the process and confirm this decision whenever prompted. If you
change your decision later, we will not be able to publish your name.
I agree to the terms of the CC-BY 4.0 license; please publish my name with my report.
Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant portal vein complications in orthotopic liver
transplantation: a propensity score analysis
Version: 
0 
Date: 
13 Jul 2020
Reviewer's report:
The paper entitled "Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant morbidity in orthotopic liver
transplantation: a propensity score analysis" is a retrospective analysis from one centre 
based on 329 liver
transplantations. The authors analysed the role of platelets on the postoperative morbidity after liver
transplantation.
Basing on their research they concluded that preoperative platelet count > 49.5×10 9 /L was an
independent risk factor for post 
transplant portal vein complication. 
I have one remark. Most patients undergoing liver transplantation have low platelet counts, first of all due
to hypersplenism. Meanwhile, in the authors' material over 50% of patients had platelet count > 49.5×10
9 /L. In my opinion this contradiction requires explanation.
Furtherly, I have two questions. 
Firstly, were the patients in both groups treated equally after liver transplantation in aspect of
anticoagulation prophylaxis?
Secondly, were the patients with hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome) among those with the
indications for liver transplantation? This is important because this group of patients often has
haematological disorders that lead to hypercoagulation. If such patients were included in the study, did this
affect the number of complications in the form of portal vein thrombosis. 
Publons Reviewer Recognition
. Springer Nature can send verification of this review directly to Publons
(a subsidiary of Clarivate Analytics). If you would like to take advantage of this service, please click on
the “Yes” option below. Your name, email address, title of the reviewed manuscript, name of the journal,
and date of your review submission (the “Review Data”) will then be transmitted to Publons upon
publication of the manuscript. If you have already registered at Publons, they will notify you of the receipt
of this review and update your profile 
as per your settings and their policy. If you are not registered with
Publons, you will receive an email from them asking you to register in order for them to be able to
recognize your review on your new profile page. Publons may use the Review Data to generate derivative
metadata for the benefit of Publons and you as a reviewer, carefully considering the sensitivity of such
information. For example, Publons may verify your record as a reviewer by updating your profile
published on its webservice if you have registered for such service or help editors to identify candidate
reviewers. Please find the details of processing in Publons’ privacy policy
https://publons.com/about/terms
Yes
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
Unable to assess
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 adequately 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 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 declaration 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 your
reply is yes to any, please give details below.
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Reviewer Publication Consent.
 I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access
Creative Commons CC-BY License (
 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
) if this manuscript is
accepted for publication. Any comments that I do not wish to be included in the published report have
been included as confidential comments to the editor, which will not be published.
If you are not happy for us to publish this report, please contact the editorial office before completing
the review.
If you wish, you can include your name in your published report. Please note you must decide whether
to include your name at the start of the process and confirm this decision whenever prompted. If you
change your decision later, we will not be able to publish your name.
I agree to the terms of the CC-BY 4.0 license; please publish my name with my report.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant portal vein complications in orthotopic liver
transplantation: a propensity score analysis
Version: 
0 
Date: 
13 Jul 2020
Reviewer's report:
The paper entitled "Preoperative platelet count predicts posttransplant morbidity in orthotopic liver
transplantation: a propensity score analysis" is a retrospective analysis from one centre 
based on 329 liver
transplantations. The authors analysed the role of platelets on the postoperative morbidity after liver
transplantation.
Basing on their research they concluded that preoperative platelet count > 49.5×10 9 /L was an
independent risk factor for post 
transplant portal vein complication. 
I have one remark. Most patients undergoing liver transplantation have low platelet counts, first of all due
to hypersplenism. Meanwhile, in the authors' material over 50% of patients had platelet count > 49.5×10
9 /L. In my opinion this contradiction requires explanation.
Furtherly, I have two questions. 
Firstly, were the patients in both groups treated equally after liver transplantation in aspect of
anticoagulation prophylaxis?
Secondly, were the patients with hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome) among those with the
indications for liver transplantation? This is important because this group of patients often has
haematological disorders that lead to hypercoagulation. If such patients were included in the study, did this
affect the number of complications in the form of portal vein thrombosis. 
Publons Reviewer Recognition
. Springer Nature can send verification of this review directly to Publons
(a subsidiary of Clarivate Analytics). If you would like to take advantage of this service, please click on
the “Yes” option below. Your name, email address, title of the reviewed manuscript, name of the journal,
and date of your review submission (the “Review Data”) will then be transmitted to Publons upon
publication of the manuscript. If you have already registered at Publons, they will notify you of the receipt
of this review and update your profile 
as per your settings and their policy. If you are not registered with
Publons, you will receive an email from them asking you to register in order for them to be able to
recognize your review on your new profile page. Publons may use the Review Data to generate derivative
metadata for the benefit of Publons and you as a reviewer, carefully considering the sensitivity of such
information. For example, Publons may verify your record as a reviewer by updating your profile
published on its webservice if you have registered for such service or help editors to identify candidate
reviewers. Please find the details of processing in Publons’ privacy policy
https://publons.com/about/terms
Yes
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.
Unable to assess
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 adequately 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 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 declaration 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 your
reply is yes to any, please give details below.
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Reviewer Publication Consent.
 I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access
Creative Commons CC-BY License (
 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
) if this manuscript is
accepted for publication. Any comments that I do not wish to be included in the published report have
been included as confidential comments to the editor, which will not be published.
If you are not happy for us to publish this report, please contact the editorial office before completing
the review.
If you wish, you can include your name in your published report. Please note you must decide whether
to include your name at the start of the process and confirm this decision whenever prompted. If you
change your decision later, we will not be able to publish your name.
I agree to the terms of the CC-BY 4.0 license; please publish my name with my report.
assistant