Reviewer ’s report  
Title: Pancreas grafts for transplantation from donors with hypertension: A n analysis of the 
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database  
 
Version: 0 Date: 05 Apr 2018  
 
Reviewer: Gabriele Spoletini  
 
Reviewer's report:  
Interesting topic to analyze, however, the manuscript has some weaknesses:  
- The manuscript needs editing by  an English mother -tongue;  
- Worse results from the hypertension group are somewhat expected as this group proved to be 
also of older age, with higher BMI, higher incidence of CVAs and more often of black 
ethnicity. These are all well known risk factors fo r worse outcomes, as described in the 
pancreas donor risk index by Axelrod et al. (Am J Transpl 2010) which I suggest should be 
cited in the manuscript;  
- Death by CVA is a surrogate of the general condition of the micro and macro vasculature of 
the donor,  probably better than the sole history of hypertension, and is a strong and 
recognized risk factor.  
The Authors state that hypertension is an independent risk factor in the multivariate analysis 
however, in order to add utility to the study, I suggest the  authors expand the multivariate 
analysis including how the "hypertension" variable relates to other relevant risk factors such as 
age, ethnicity, BMI an CIT.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
No 
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.  
No 
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 spec ify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I recommend additional statistical review  
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, fees, 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 understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my r eport 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 named report can be included 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: Pancreas grafts for transplantation from donors with hypertension: A n analysis of the 
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database  
 
Version: 0 Date: 05 Apr 2018  
 
Reviewer: Gabriele Spoletini  
 
Reviewer's report:  
Interesting topic to analyze, however, the manuscript has some weaknesses:  
- The manuscript needs editing by  an English mother -tongue;  
- Worse results from the hypertension group are somewhat expected as this group proved to be 
also of older age, with higher BMI, higher incidence of CVAs and more often of black 
ethnicity. These are all well known risk factors fo r worse outcomes, as described in the 
pancreas donor risk index by Axelrod et al. (Am J Transpl 2010) which I suggest should be 
cited in the manuscript;  
- Death by CVA is a surrogate of the general condition of the micro and macro vasculature of 
the donor,  probably better than the sole history of hypertension, and is a strong and 
recognized risk factor.  
The Authors state that hypertension is an independent risk factor in the multivariate analysis 
however, in order to add utility to the study, I suggest the  authors expand the multivariate 
analysis including how the "hypertension" variable relates to other relevant risk factors such as 
age, ethnicity, BMI an CIT.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
No 
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.  
No 
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 spec ify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I recommend additional statistical review  
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, fees, 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 understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my r eport 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 named report can be included 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: Pancreas grafts for transplantation from donors with hypertension: A n analysis of the 
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database  
 
Version: 0 Date: 05 Apr 2018  
 
Reviewer: Gabriele Spoletini  
 
Reviewer's report:  
Interesting topic to analyze, however, the manuscript has some weaknesses:  
- The manuscript needs editing by  an English mother -tongue;  
- Worse results from the hypertension group are somewhat expected as this group proved to be 
also of older age, with higher BMI, higher incidence of CVAs and more often of black 
ethnicity. These are all well known risk factors fo r worse outcomes, as described in the 
pancreas donor risk index by Axelrod et al. (Am J Transpl 2010) which I suggest should be 
cited in the manuscript;  
- Death by CVA is a surrogate of the general condition of the micro and macro vasculature of 
the donor,  probably better than the sole history of hypertension, and is a strong and 
recognized risk factor.  
The Authors state that hypertension is an independent risk factor in the multivariate analysis 
however, in order to add utility to the study, I suggest the  authors expand the multivariate 
analysis including how the "hypertension" variable relates to other relevant risk factors such as 
age, ethnicity, BMI an CIT.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
No 
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.  
No 
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 spec ify what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
I recommend additional statistical review  
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, fees, 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 understand that my name will be included 
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my r eport 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 named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant