Reviewer’s report
Title: Causative factors of liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients. A single center study.
Version: 1 Date: 06 Dec 2019
Reviewer: Jan-Christian Wasmuth
Reviewer's report:
The authors addressed all Points raised by the reviewers and responded adequately.
However, I still do not understand HIV-Treatment status of the patients. As mentioned ongoing viral
replication could be a Driver of liver fibrosis. Therefore it is important to understand how many
patients are actually undetectable and how many have ongoing viral replication. As 17 patients are not
treated this could be even included in the Analysis.
The authors tried to clarify ART Treatment with a table. I am not really sure how to read the table.
Taking NNRTI (74), PI (103) and INSTI (65) as third-agent, and NRTI as Backbone (431 in total) I
assume  that  the  table  summarizes  total  Treatment  exposure  (otherwise  very  unusual  current
combinations)?
The  ART table in the Appendix  Needs  some  minor corrections  (e.g. Atazanavir  is  not a INSTI,
Cobicistat not Combicistat)
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.
Unable to assess
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 manuscript or would you recommend an
additional statistical review?
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify 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
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 financially from the publication of this
manuscript, either now or in the future?
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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.
None
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 report 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: Causative factors of liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients. A single center study.
Version: 1 Date: 06 Dec 2019
Reviewer: Jan-Christian Wasmuth
Reviewer's report:
The authors addressed all Points raised by the reviewers and responded adequately.
However, I still do not understand HIV-Treatment status of the patients. As mentioned ongoing viral
replication could be a Driver of liver fibrosis. Therefore it is important to understand how many
patients are actually undetectable and how many have ongoing viral replication. As 17 patients are not
treated this could be even included in the Analysis.
The authors tried to clarify ART Treatment with a table. I am not really sure how to read the table.
Taking NNRTI (74), PI (103) and INSTI (65) as third-agent, and NRTI as Backbone (431 in total) I
assume  that  the  table  summarizes  total  Treatment  exposure  (otherwise  very  unusual  current
combinations)?
The  ART table in the Appendix  Needs  some  minor corrections  (e.g. Atazanavir  is  not a INSTI,
Cobicistat not Combicistat)
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.
Unable to assess
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 manuscript or would you recommend an
additional statistical review?
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify 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
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 financially from the publication of this
manuscript, either now or in the future?
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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.
None
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 report 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: Causative factors of liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients. A single center study.
Version: 1 Date: 06 Dec 2019
Reviewer: Jan-Christian Wasmuth
Reviewer's report:
The authors addressed all Points raised by the reviewers and responded adequately.
However, I still do not understand HIV-Treatment status of the patients. As mentioned ongoing viral
replication could be a Driver of liver fibrosis. Therefore it is important to understand how many
patients are actually undetectable and how many have ongoing viral replication. As 17 patients are not
treated this could be even included in the Analysis.
The authors tried to clarify ART Treatment with a table. I am not really sure how to read the table.
Taking NNRTI (74), PI (103) and INSTI (65) as third-agent, and NRTI as Backbone (431 in total) I
assume  that  the  table  summarizes  total  Treatment  exposure  (otherwise  very  unusual  current
combinations)?
The  ART table in the Appendix  Needs  some  minor corrections  (e.g. Atazanavir  is  not a INSTI,
Cobicistat not Combicistat)
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.
Unable to assess
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 manuscript or would you recommend an
additional statistical review?
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify 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
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 financially from the publication of this
manuscript, either now or in the future?
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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.
None
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 report 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