Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Racial Disparities of Black Americans Hospitalized for Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 11 Mar 2020  
 
Reviewer: Alexandra Alexopoulou  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors read and answered in detail all the comments. I have only two minor issues.  
 
1 The authors stated in response to reviewer section, Page 1, that "We have  also changed the term 
from "Medi -cal" to "Medicaid," which is the more general term for this type of low income 
insurance in the United States".  
However "Medi -cal" term is still present in Table 6.  
 
2. There is a redundant "of" in Page 9" "Similarly a nationwide sample "of" showed…"  
 
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.  
 
Yes 
 
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 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:  
 
Acceptable  
 
 
Decl aration 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 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  
 
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 manus cript is accepted f or publication, my nam ed report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' responses. 
I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons CC-BY 
license ( http://cr eativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments which I do 
not wish to be included in my named 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 jo urnal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Racial Disparities of Black Americans Hospitalized for Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 11 Mar 2020  
 
Reviewer: Alexandra Alexopoulou  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors read and answered in detail all the comments. I have only two minor issues.  
 
1 The authors stated in response to reviewer section, Page 1, that "We have  also changed the term 
from "Medi -cal" to "Medicaid," which is the more general term for this type of low income 
insurance in the United States".  
However "Medi -cal" term is still present in Table 6.  
 
2. There is a redundant "of" in Page 9" "Similarly a nationwide sample "of" showed…"  
 
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.  
 
Yes 
 
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 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:  
 
Acceptable  
 
 
Decl aration 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 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  
 
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 manus cript is accepted f or publication, my nam ed report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' responses. 
I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons CC-BY 
license ( http://cr eativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments which I do 
not wish to be included in my named 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 jo urnal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Racial Disparities of Black Americans Hospitalized for Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis  
 
Version: 1 Date: 11 Mar 2020  
 
Reviewer: Alexandra Alexopoulou  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors read and answered in detail all the comments. I have only two minor issues.  
 
1 The authors stated in response to reviewer section, Page 1, that "We have  also changed the term 
from "Medi -cal" to "Medicaid," which is the more general term for this type of low income 
insurance in the United States".  
However "Medi -cal" term is still present in Table 6.  
 
2. There is a redundant "of" in Page 9" "Similarly a nationwide sample "of" showed…"  
 
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.  
 
Yes 
 
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 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:  
 
Acceptable  
 
 
Decl aration 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 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  
 
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 manus cript is accepted f or publication, my nam ed report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' responses. 
I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons CC-BY 
license ( http://cr eativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments which I do 
not wish to be included in my named 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 jo urnal  
assistant