Title: Evaluation of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) as serum marker for liver
fibrosis
Version: 1 Date: 14 Oct 2023
Reviewer:  Hirotoshi Ebinuma
Reviewer's report:
Authors demonstrated the usefulness of a novel serum marker for liver fibrosis. The comparison
of the values of this marker before and after DAAs treatment for the patients of chronic hepatitis
C is a innovative and useful method, but it may need to be added or modified in the following
points.
Major points
1. This manuscript describe that sST2 is a useful single serum marker for assessing liver fibrosis.
However, it is already known that the existing single markers such as hyaluronic acid or type IV
collagen 7S are useful as single serum markers of liver fibrosis. The usefulness of sST2 should
be compared with these existing single serum markers.
2. Describe the significant differences in each graph in Figure 4. In Figure 4A, it appears that
the post-treatment sST2 values are predominantly lower than the pre-treatment values in some
fibrotic stages. If so, we cannot conclude that sST2 values do not affect by liver inflammation.
In addition, describe the significant differences in Table 2
3. How about comparing ROC curves of ST2 values for the assessment of liver fibrosis
separately before and after DAAs treatment?
Title: Evaluation of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) as serum marker for liver
fibrosis
Version: 1 Date: 14 Oct 2023
Reviewer:  Hirotoshi Ebinuma
Reviewer's report:
Authors demonstrated the usefulness of a novel serum marker for liver fibrosis. The comparison
of the values of this marker before and after DAAs treatment for the patients of chronic hepatitis
C is a innovative and useful method, but it may need to be added or modified in the following
points.
Major points
1. This manuscript describe that sST2 is a useful single serum marker for assessing liver fibrosis.
However, it is already known that the existing single markers such as hyaluronic acid or type IV
collagen 7S are useful as single serum markers of liver fibrosis. The usefulness of sST2 should
be compared with these existing single serum markers.
2. Describe the significant differences in each graph in Figure 4. In Figure 4A, it appears that
the post-treatment sST2 values are predominantly lower than the pre-treatment values in some
fibrotic stages. If so, we cannot conclude that sST2 values do not affect by liver inflammation.
In addition, describe the significant differences in Table 2
3. How about comparing ROC curves of ST2 values for the assessment of liver fibrosis
separately before and after DAAs treatment?
Please review this paper.
user
Title: Evaluation of soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) as serum marker for liver
fibrosis
Version: 1 Date: 14 Oct 2023
Reviewer:  Hirotoshi Ebinuma
Reviewer's report:
Authors demonstrated the usefulness of a novel serum marker for liver fibrosis. The comparison
of the values of this marker before and after DAAs treatment for the patients of chronic hepatitis
C is a innovative and useful method, but it may need to be added or modified in the following
points.
Major points
1. This manuscript describe that sST2 is a useful single serum marker for assessing liver fibrosis.
However, it is already known that the existing single markers such as hyaluronic acid or type IV
collagen 7S are useful as single serum markers of liver fibrosis. The usefulness of sST2 should
be compared with these existing single serum markers.
2. Describe the significant differences in each graph in Figure 4. In Figure 4A, it appears that
the post-treatment sST2 values are predominantly lower than the pre-treatment values in some
fibrotic stages. If so, we cannot conclude that sST2 values do not affect by liver inflammation.
In addition, describe the significant differences in Table 2
3. How about comparing ROC curves of ST2 values for the assessment of liver fibrosis
separately before and after DAAs treatment?
assistant