Reviewer's report 
 Bone mineral density and cytokine levels during interferon therapy in children with chronic Title: 
hepatitis B: does interferon therapy prevent osteoporosis? 
 1  31 March 2005 Version: Date: 
 Dan MellstrÃ¶m Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
Interesting manuscript with great implications for future treatment of osteoporosis. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
The study contains two treatment groups.However in the statistics there is no separation of the results which is important since an earlier publication 
showed a decrease in bone mass with treatment with interferon plus ribavirin 
in contast to treatment with interferon only.J Hepatol 2000 33 Solis-Herruzo JA. Baseline data of BMD and bonemarkers before treatment should be presented. 
There are earlier reports that patients with hepatitis C in some cases have high 
BMD.The basic understanding of the relation of bone resorption and interferon 
was published in Nature 2000 30;408 Takayanagi H et al.The two mentioned reports 
should be discussed in the present report.The discussion should be shorter 
with fewer references. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) In the introduction second page and second line it is stated that the main 
pathophysiological process in postmenopausal osteoporosis is a decrease in bone 
resorption.Should be increase in bone 
resorption.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 importance in its field Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 Yes Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Reviewer's report 
 Bone mineral density and cytokine levels during interferon therapy in children with chronic Title: 
hepatitis B: does interferon therapy prevent osteoporosis? 
 1  31 March 2005 Version: Date: 
 Dan MellstrÃ¶m Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
Interesting manuscript with great implications for future treatment of osteoporosis. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
The study contains two treatment groups.However in the statistics there is no separation of the results which is important since an earlier publication 
showed a decrease in bone mass with treatment with interferon plus ribavirin 
in contast to treatment with interferon only.J Hepatol 2000 33 Solis-Herruzo JA. Baseline data of BMD and bonemarkers before treatment should be presented. 
There are earlier reports that patients with hepatitis C in some cases have high 
BMD.The basic understanding of the relation of bone resorption and interferon 
was published in Nature 2000 30;408 Takayanagi H et al.The two mentioned reports 
should be discussed in the present report.The discussion should be shorter 
with fewer references. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) In the introduction second page and second line it is stated that the main 
pathophysiological process in postmenopausal osteoporosis is a decrease in bone 
resorption.Should be increase in bone 
resorption.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 importance in its field Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 Yes Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 Bone mineral density and cytokine levels during interferon therapy in children with chronic Title: 
hepatitis B: does interferon therapy prevent osteoporosis? 
 1  31 March 2005 Version: Date: 
 Dan MellstrÃ¶m Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
Interesting manuscript with great implications for future treatment of osteoporosis. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can 
be reached) 
The study contains two treatment groups.However in the statistics there is no separation of the results which is important since an earlier publication 
showed a decrease in bone mass with treatment with interferon plus ribavirin 
in contast to treatment with interferon only.J Hepatol 2000 33 Solis-Herruzo JA. Baseline data of BMD and bonemarkers before treatment should be presented. 
There are earlier reports that patients with hepatitis C in some cases have high 
BMD.The basic understanding of the relation of bone resorption and interferon 
was published in Nature 2000 30;408 Takayanagi H et al.The two mentioned reports 
should be discussed in the present report.The discussion should be shorter 
with fewer references. 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the 
author can be trusted to correct) In the introduction second page and second line it is stated that the main 
pathophysiological process in postmenopausal osteoporosis is a decrease in bone 
resorption.Should be increase in bone 
resorption.------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 importance in its field Level of interest: 
 Needs some language corrections before being published Quality of written English: 
 Yes Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
assistant