Title: Diagnostic performance of the normal range of gastrin calculated using strict criteria
based on a combination of serum markers and pathological evaluation for detecting gastritis: a
retrospective study
Version: 6 Date: 01 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
This is a study investigating normal range of serum gastrin based on the strict criteria of non-
gastritis normal subjects. The study design and methods are good. Authors revised manuscript
according to the advice of the reviewer, and the revised manuscript has much improved again.
But I think it needs some more revisions again (I am very sad. I wanted to be freed.).
Points for revision
1. Line 181: C-0 was not described in the original Kimura-Takemoto’s paper. “Updated Kimura-
Takemoto classification” should be indicated in this manuscript and the reference should be
changed to the paper of Nakajima, et al. Dig Endosc 2021; 33: 125-132, which describes both
C-0 and C-1.
2. Line 278, 282 and others: ‘low gastrin’ is not adequate, but ‘normal gastrin’ is adequate. And
‘high proportion of true A patients’ is better changed to ‘higher proportion of true A patients
than high gastrin group’.
3. Line 296 and 53: ‘low’ to ‘normal’.
4. Line 335: ‘do have low’ to ‘do not have high’.
5. Table 4: ‘Low gastrin group’ to ‘normal gastrin group’.
6. All figures are too small if I printed. It is not comfortable for reviewers and readers. Authors
should change the layout of the figures according to the paper. For example, you can put the
paper from longitudinal to horizontal position, so that the figures and the words can be enlarged.
Authors should always consider reviewers when submission, so that the reviewers do not feel
uncomfortable to see the figures and tables when printing (I used a magnifying glass this time).
I pointed out many times about the presentation of figures and tables to you, but you did not.
7. Line 506: Title of the figure should be changed to ‘Number of subjects in the pathologically-
evaluated normal stomach group.’
8. Line 515: Before (b), a sentence should be inserted “The horizontal line indicates the cut-
off value, 126.03 pg/mL, which is the upper limit of the 95th percentile of the normal range of
serum gastrin concentrations calculated in the pathologically…”. Instead, the sentence of the
line 518-519 is deleted. And then, the legend of (b) is better changed to ‘Receiver operating
characteristic (ROC) curve with the cut-off value for detecting …’.
Title: Diagnostic performance of the normal range of gastrin calculated using strict criteria
based on a combination of serum markers and pathological evaluation for detecting gastritis: a
retrospective study
Version: 6 Date: 01 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
This is a study investigating normal range of serum gastrin based on the strict criteria of non-
gastritis normal subjects. The study design and methods are good. Authors revised manuscript
according to the advice of the reviewer, and the revised manuscript has much improved again.
But I think it needs some more revisions again (I am very sad. I wanted to be freed.).
Points for revision
1. Line 181: C-0 was not described in the original Kimura-Takemoto’s paper. “Updated Kimura-
Takemoto classification” should be indicated in this manuscript and the reference should be
changed to the paper of Nakajima, et al. Dig Endosc 2021; 33: 125-132, which describes both
C-0 and C-1.
2. Line 278, 282 and others: ‘low gastrin’ is not adequate, but ‘normal gastrin’ is adequate. And
‘high proportion of true A patients’ is better changed to ‘higher proportion of true A patients
than high gastrin group’.
3. Line 296 and 53: ‘low’ to ‘normal’.
4. Line 335: ‘do have low’ to ‘do not have high’.
5. Table 4: ‘Low gastrin group’ to ‘normal gastrin group’.
6. All figures are too small if I printed. It is not comfortable for reviewers and readers. Authors
should change the layout of the figures according to the paper. For example, you can put the
paper from longitudinal to horizontal position, so that the figures and the words can be enlarged.
Authors should always consider reviewers when submission, so that the reviewers do not feel
uncomfortable to see the figures and tables when printing (I used a magnifying glass this time).
I pointed out many times about the presentation of figures and tables to you, but you did not.
7. Line 506: Title of the figure should be changed to ‘Number of subjects in the pathologically-
evaluated normal stomach group.’
8. Line 515: Before (b), a sentence should be inserted “The horizontal line indicates the cut-
off value, 126.03 pg/mL, which is the upper limit of the 95th percentile of the normal range of
serum gastrin concentrations calculated in the pathologically…”. Instead, the sentence of the
line 518-519 is deleted. And then, the legend of (b) is better changed to ‘Receiver operating
characteristic (ROC) curve with the cut-off value for detecting …’.
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Diagnostic performance of the normal range of gastrin calculated using strict criteria
based on a combination of serum markers and pathological evaluation for detecting gastritis: a
retrospective study
Version: 6 Date: 01 Apr 2023
Reviewer's report:
This is a study investigating normal range of serum gastrin based on the strict criteria of non-
gastritis normal subjects. The study design and methods are good. Authors revised manuscript
according to the advice of the reviewer, and the revised manuscript has much improved again.
But I think it needs some more revisions again (I am very sad. I wanted to be freed.).
Points for revision
1. Line 181: C-0 was not described in the original Kimura-Takemoto’s paper. “Updated Kimura-
Takemoto classification” should be indicated in this manuscript and the reference should be
changed to the paper of Nakajima, et al. Dig Endosc 2021; 33: 125-132, which describes both
C-0 and C-1.
2. Line 278, 282 and others: ‘low gastrin’ is not adequate, but ‘normal gastrin’ is adequate. And
‘high proportion of true A patients’ is better changed to ‘higher proportion of true A patients
than high gastrin group’.
3. Line 296 and 53: ‘low’ to ‘normal’.
4. Line 335: ‘do have low’ to ‘do not have high’.
5. Table 4: ‘Low gastrin group’ to ‘normal gastrin group’.
6. All figures are too small if I printed. It is not comfortable for reviewers and readers. Authors
should change the layout of the figures according to the paper. For example, you can put the
paper from longitudinal to horizontal position, so that the figures and the words can be enlarged.
Authors should always consider reviewers when submission, so that the reviewers do not feel
uncomfortable to see the figures and tables when printing (I used a magnifying glass this time).
I pointed out many times about the presentation of figures and tables to you, but you did not.
7. Line 506: Title of the figure should be changed to ‘Number of subjects in the pathologically-
evaluated normal stomach group.’
8. Line 515: Before (b), a sentence should be inserted “The horizontal line indicates the cut-
off value, 126.03 pg/mL, which is the upper limit of the 95th percentile of the normal range of
serum gastrin concentrations calculated in the pathologically…”. Instead, the sentence of the
line 518-519 is deleted. And then, the legend of (b) is better changed to ‘Receiver operating
characteristic (ROC) curve with the cut-off value for detecting …’.
assistant