Reviewer's report 
 Serum hyaluronate as a Non-invasive Marker of Hepatic Fibrosis and Inflammation in Title: 
HBeAg-negative Chronic Hepatitis B 
 4  27 July 2005 Version: Date: 
 Thierry Poynard Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
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Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
1. The box plot of hyaluronate according to each fibrosis stage must be given 
2. In the discussion it must be stated that in comparaison to FibroTest-ActiTest hyaluronic acid 
seems to have a lower sensitivity for minimal fibrosis (as in chronic hepatitis C) as well as an 
absence of independent assessment of both fibrosis and activity as given by FibroTest-Actitest. 3. The range price of the hyaluronic acid should be given in different countries (Iran, US, Europe). 
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Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the What next?: 
major compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I have a capital interest in Biopredictive the startup company of Paris University marketing 
FibroTest-ActiTest. 
Reviewer's report 
 Serum hyaluronate as a Non-invasive Marker of Hepatic Fibrosis and Inflammation in Title: 
HBeAg-negative Chronic Hepatitis B 
 4  27 July 2005 Version: Date: 
 Thierry Poynard Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
1. The box plot of hyaluronate according to each fibrosis stage must be given 
2. In the discussion it must be stated that in comparaison to FibroTest-ActiTest hyaluronic acid 
seems to have a lower sensitivity for minimal fibrosis (as in chronic hepatitis C) as well as an 
absence of independent assessment of both fibrosis and activity as given by FibroTest-Actitest. 3. The range price of the hyaluronic acid should be given in different countries (Iran, US, Europe). 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the What next?: 
major compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I have a capital interest in Biopredictive the startup company of Paris University marketing 
FibroTest-ActiTest. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Serum hyaluronate as a Non-invasive Marker of Hepatic Fibrosis and Inflammation in Title: 
HBeAg-negative Chronic Hepatitis B 
 4  27 July 2005 Version: Date: 
 Thierry Poynard Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
1. The box plot of hyaluronate according to each fibrosis stage must be given 
2. In the discussion it must be stated that in comparaison to FibroTest-ActiTest hyaluronic acid 
seems to have a lower sensitivity for minimal fibrosis (as in chronic hepatitis C) as well as an 
absence of independent assessment of both fibrosis and activity as given by FibroTest-Actitest. 3. The range price of the hyaluronic acid should be given in different countries (Iran, US, Europe). 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the What next?: 
major compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I have a capital interest in Biopredictive the startup company of Paris University marketing 
FibroTest-ActiTest. 
assistant