Reviewer's report
Title:Utility of serum des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin in the diagnosis of
hepatocellular carcinoma among Nigerians, a case-control study.
Version:2Date:11 March 2015
Reviewer: Chad Hall
Reviewer's report:
Major Compulsory Revisions
None
Minor Essential Revisions
None
Discretionary Revisions
1. The introduction could be supported with more background information on
DCP. A few comments were made in the discussion, but more historical
information about how it was found and its current use in clinical practice would
help clarify the purpose of the study.
2. How were patients chosen for the benign liver disease population? More
specifically, why include one patient with an amoebic abscess, one with a hepatic
cyst and one with acute hepatitis? These processes do not have similar
physiology to viral hepatitis and are less likely to result in cirrhosis. Does
including these conditions alter the results of the control group?
3. What determined which imaging modality was used for patients in the study?
Can more information be given about who received a CT or an ultrasound?
4. How has this study changed your clinical practice? Is DCP used regularly to
diagnose your patients with HCC? Should DCP be used in conjuction with AFP?
Comments on your clinical practice would be interesting in the discussion.
Level of interest: An exceptional article
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Reviewer's report
Title:Utility of serum des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin in the diagnosis of
hepatocellular carcinoma among Nigerians, a case-control study.
Version:2Date:11 March 2015
Reviewer: Chad Hall
Reviewer's report:
Major Compulsory Revisions
None
Minor Essential Revisions
None
Discretionary Revisions
1. The introduction could be supported with more background information on
DCP. A few comments were made in the discussion, but more historical
information about how it was found and its current use in clinical practice would
help clarify the purpose of the study.
2. How were patients chosen for the benign liver disease population? More
specifically, why include one patient with an amoebic abscess, one with a hepatic
cyst and one with acute hepatitis? These processes do not have similar
physiology to viral hepatitis and are less likely to result in cirrhosis. Does
including these conditions alter the results of the control group?
3. What determined which imaging modality was used for patients in the study?
Can more information be given about who received a CT or an ultrasound?
4. How has this study changed your clinical practice? Is DCP used regularly to
diagnose your patients with HCC? Should DCP be used in conjuction with AFP?
Comments on your clinical practice would be interesting in the discussion.
Level of interest: An exceptional article
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Utility of serum des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin in the diagnosis of
hepatocellular carcinoma among Nigerians, a case-control study.
Version:2Date:11 March 2015
Reviewer: Chad Hall
Reviewer's report:
Major Compulsory Revisions
None
Minor Essential Revisions
None
Discretionary Revisions
1. The introduction could be supported with more background information on
DCP. A few comments were made in the discussion, but more historical
information about how it was found and its current use in clinical practice would
help clarify the purpose of the study.
2. How were patients chosen for the benign liver disease population? More
specifically, why include one patient with an amoebic abscess, one with a hepatic
cyst and one with acute hepatitis? These processes do not have similar
physiology to viral hepatitis and are less likely to result in cirrhosis. Does
including these conditions alter the results of the control group?
3. What determined which imaging modality was used for patients in the study?
Can more information be given about who received a CT or an ultrasound?
4. How has this study changed your clinical practice? Is DCP used regularly to
diagnose your patients with HCC? Should DCP be used in conjuction with AFP?
Comments on your clinical practice would be interesting in the discussion.
Level of interest: An exceptional article
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, but I do not feel adequately qualified to assess the
statistics.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests.
assistant