Reviewer's report 
 High rates of early "e" seroconversion and relapse in Indian patients of chronic hepatitis B Title: 
treated with Lamivudine : results of an open labeled trial 
 1  16 April 2005 Version: Date: 
 Yasuhiko Sugawara Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
Alexander and colleagues reported the results of treatment for hepatitis B patients with lamivudine. 
The HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 1 year of therapy was 28% which was higher than those 
previously published. The text seems to be of garrulity but well written and the study design was good. 
(Minor Essential Revisions) 
1. Please define HBeAg loss in the methods. What is the difference with seroconversion of HBeAg to anti HBe? 
1. (P5) ULN should be spelled out when it appeared first time in the manuscript. 
2. (P5) ‘data was’ should be changed to ‘data were’. 3. Fig 2 should be deleted. It is easy to understand most of the seroconversion occurred in the first 
post treatment year. 
4. Fig. 3 should be changed. The results of groups divided by the ALT levels (i.e. <=1 xULN, >1 - 
<=2xULN, >2xULN) should be shown. 
 Accept after minor essential revisions What next?: 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Yasuhiko Sugawara 
Reviewer's report 
 High rates of early "e" seroconversion and relapse in Indian patients of chronic hepatitis B Title: 
treated with Lamivudine : results of an open labeled trial 
 1  16 April 2005 Version: Date: 
 Yasuhiko Sugawara Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
Alexander and colleagues reported the results of treatment for hepatitis B patients with lamivudine. 
The HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 1 year of therapy was 28% which was higher than those 
previously published. The text seems to be of garrulity but well written and the study design was good. 
(Minor Essential Revisions) 
1. Please define HBeAg loss in the methods. What is the difference with seroconversion of HBeAg to anti HBe? 
1. (P5) ULN should be spelled out when it appeared first time in the manuscript. 
2. (P5) ‘data was’ should be changed to ‘data were’. 3. Fig 2 should be deleted. It is easy to understand most of the seroconversion occurred in the first 
post treatment year. 
4. Fig. 3 should be changed. The results of groups divided by the ALT levels (i.e. <=1 xULN, >1 - 
<=2xULN, >2xULN) should be shown. 
 Accept after minor essential revisions What next?: 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Yasuhiko Sugawara 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 High rates of early "e" seroconversion and relapse in Indian patients of chronic hepatitis B Title: 
treated with Lamivudine : results of an open labeled trial 
 1  16 April 2005 Version: Date: 
 Yasuhiko Sugawara Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
Alexander and colleagues reported the results of treatment for hepatitis B patients with lamivudine. 
The HBeAg seroconversion rate after the 1 year of therapy was 28% which was higher than those 
previously published. The text seems to be of garrulity but well written and the study design was good. 
(Minor Essential Revisions) 
1. Please define HBeAg loss in the methods. What is the difference with seroconversion of HBeAg to anti HBe? 
1. (P5) ULN should be spelled out when it appeared first time in the manuscript. 
2. (P5) ‘data was’ should be changed to ‘data were’. 3. Fig 2 should be deleted. It is easy to understand most of the seroconversion occurred in the first 
post treatment year. 
4. Fig. 3 should be changed. The results of groups divided by the ALT levels (i.e. <=1 xULN, >1 - 
<=2xULN, >2xULN) should be shown. 
 Accept after minor essential revisions What next?: 
 An article whose findings are important to those with closely related research Level of interest: 
interests 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests. 
Yasuhiko Sugawara 
assistant