Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: High -density lipoprotein cholesterol to low -density lipopro tein cholesterol ratio in early 
assessment of disease severity and outcome in patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the 
ICU 
 
Version: 0 Date: 27 Aug 2019  
 
Reviewer: Sayali A. Pendharkar  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have retrospectively investigated the predictive value of H/L ratio in early 
assessment of disea se severity and outcome in patients with AP admitted to the ICU. The study 
is an important contribution.  
 
 
Major Comment:  
 
Revise methods section in abstract to briefly indicate the type of statistical analysis undertaken.  
 
Results section of the abstract nee ds to be more quantitative. Highlight 2 or 3 key findings and 
list the number of individuals included in the study.  
 
In the concluding statement, replace the word "hallmark" as it is not a definitive finding and the 
specificity of H/L ratio is low.  
 
In the m ain body of manuscript, you need to indicate whether adjusted analysis was undertaken; 
and if yes, which covariates were adjusted for (so it aligns with the results section)  
 
 
Minor Comments:  
 
Dependent and independent variables should be listed under the me thods section of main 
manuscript  
 
Methods section of main manuscript should also indicate how results will be reported e.g. 
Hazards Ratio with corresponding 95% CI  
 
Standard deviations missing for all mean values reported in results of main manuscript  
 
Pay ca reful attention to abbreviations such as AP and use them consistently  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well 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.  
 
No 
 
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 th e manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy 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:  
 
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, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the 
publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2.  Do you hold any stocks or shares  in an organisation t hat 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 recei ved 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 have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the websi te along with the authors' 
responses. 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/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my name d report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: High -density lipoprotein cholesterol to low -density lipopro tein cholesterol ratio in early 
assessment of disease severity and outcome in patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the 
ICU 
 
Version: 0 Date: 27 Aug 2019  
 
Reviewer: Sayali A. Pendharkar  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have retrospectively investigated the predictive value of H/L ratio in early 
assessment of disea se severity and outcome in patients with AP admitted to the ICU. The study 
is an important contribution.  
 
 
Major Comment:  
 
Revise methods section in abstract to briefly indicate the type of statistical analysis undertaken.  
 
Results section of the abstract nee ds to be more quantitative. Highlight 2 or 3 key findings and 
list the number of individuals included in the study.  
 
In the concluding statement, replace the word "hallmark" as it is not a definitive finding and the 
specificity of H/L ratio is low.  
 
In the m ain body of manuscript, you need to indicate whether adjusted analysis was undertaken; 
and if yes, which covariates were adjusted for (so it aligns with the results section)  
 
 
Minor Comments:  
 
Dependent and independent variables should be listed under the me thods section of main 
manuscript  
 
Methods section of main manuscript should also indicate how results will be reported e.g. 
Hazards Ratio with corresponding 95% CI  
 
Standard deviations missing for all mean values reported in results of main manuscript  
 
Pay ca reful attention to abbreviations such as AP and use them consistently  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well 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.  
 
No 
 
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 th e manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy 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:  
 
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, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the 
publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2.  Do you hold any stocks or shares  in an organisation t hat 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 recei ved 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 have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the websi te along with the authors' 
responses. 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/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my name d report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: High -density lipoprotein cholesterol to low -density lipopro tein cholesterol ratio in early 
assessment of disease severity and outcome in patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the 
ICU 
 
Version: 0 Date: 27 Aug 2019  
 
Reviewer: Sayali A. Pendharkar  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have retrospectively investigated the predictive value of H/L ratio in early 
assessment of disea se severity and outcome in patients with AP admitted to the ICU. The study 
is an important contribution.  
 
 
Major Comment:  
 
Revise methods section in abstract to briefly indicate the type of statistical analysis undertaken.  
 
Results section of the abstract nee ds to be more quantitative. Highlight 2 or 3 key findings and 
list the number of individuals included in the study.  
 
In the concluding statement, replace the word "hallmark" as it is not a definitive finding and the 
specificity of H/L ratio is low.  
 
In the m ain body of manuscript, you need to indicate whether adjusted analysis was undertaken; 
and if yes, which covariates were adjusted for (so it aligns with the results section)  
 
 
Minor Comments:  
 
Dependent and independent variables should be listed under the me thods section of main 
manuscript  
 
Methods section of main manuscript should also indicate how results will be reported e.g. 
Hazards Ratio with corresponding 95% CI  
 
Standard deviations missing for all mean values reported in results of main manuscript  
 
Pay ca reful attention to abbreviations such as AP and use them consistently  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well 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.  
 
No 
 
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 th e manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please speci fy 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:  
 
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, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the 
publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2.  Do you hold any stocks or shares  in an organisation t hat 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 recei ved 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 have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the websi te along with the authors' 
responses. 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/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my name d report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant