Reviewer ’s report 
 
Title: Cumulative Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen 
Seroclearance after Nucleos(t)ide analogue -induced Hepatitis B e Antigen Seroclearance  
 
Version: 0 Date: 14 Nov 2019  
 
Reviewer: Lydia Giannitrapani  
 
Reviewer's report : 
 
The paper by Lee et al. aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence of HCC and evaluate 
HBsAg seroclearence in patients undergoing NA -induced HBeAg seroclearence. It is an 
interesting paper facing a problem epidemiologically very important in south east Asia. The 
statistical analysis is correct and with the limitations that have already been underlined by the 
authors themselves, can be of interest for BMC gastroenterology readers.  
 
 
There are only minor points that have to be addressed:  
 
1. It would be interesting to be tter define if young subjects treated with NA had already 
experienced an ifn based treatment without response or if they had contraindications  
 
2. In Table 1 please correct the sum M+F (which should be 203)  
 
3. In Figures 1b, 1c and 2b the authors report a difference between the curves and should 
specify in the materials and methods section the test they used, put it also in the results 
and in the figures beside the P value.    
 
Are the methods appropri ate 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.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions d rawn 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 manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is  recommended, please speci fy 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 competi ng interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1.  Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially f rom 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 you r 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 understan d 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 in cluded 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: Cumulative Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen 
Seroclearance after Nucleos(t)ide analogue -induced Hepatitis B e Antigen Seroclearance  
 
Version: 0 Date: 14 Nov 2019  
 
Reviewer: Lydia Giannitrapani  
 
Reviewer's report : 
 
The paper by Lee et al. aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence of HCC and evaluate 
HBsAg seroclearence in patients undergoing NA -induced HBeAg seroclearence. It is an 
interesting paper facing a problem epidemiologically very important in south east Asia. The 
statistical analysis is correct and with the limitations that have already been underlined by the 
authors themselves, can be of interest for BMC gastroenterology readers.  
 
 
There are only minor points that have to be addressed:  
 
1. It would be interesting to be tter define if young subjects treated with NA had already 
experienced an ifn based treatment without response or if they had contraindications  
 
2. In Table 1 please correct the sum M+F (which should be 203)  
 
3. In Figures 1b, 1c and 2b the authors report a difference between the curves and should 
specify in the materials and methods section the test they used, put it also in the results 
and in the figures beside the P value.    
 
Are the methods appropri ate 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.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions d rawn 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 manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is  recommended, please speci fy 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 competi ng interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1.  Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially f rom 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 you r 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 understan d 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 in cluded 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: Cumulative Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen 
Seroclearance after Nucleos(t)ide analogue -induced Hepatitis B e Antigen Seroclearance  
 
Version: 0 Date: 14 Nov 2019  
 
Reviewer: Lydia Giannitrapani  
 
Reviewer's report : 
 
The paper by Lee et al. aimed to investigate the cumulative incidence of HCC and evaluate 
HBsAg seroclearence in patients undergoing NA -induced HBeAg seroclearence. It is an 
interesting paper facing a problem epidemiologically very important in south east Asia. The 
statistical analysis is correct and with the limitations that have already been underlined by the 
authors themselves, can be of interest for BMC gastroenterology readers.  
 
 
There are only minor points that have to be addressed:  
 
1. It would be interesting to be tter define if young subjects treated with NA had already 
experienced an ifn based treatment without response or if they had contraindications  
 
2. In Table 1 please correct the sum M+F (which should be 203)  
 
3. In Figures 1b, 1c and 2b the authors report a difference between the curves and should 
specify in the materials and methods section the test they used, put it also in the results 
and in the figures beside the P value.    
 
Are the methods appropri ate 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.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions d rawn 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 manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is  recommended, please speci fy 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 competi ng interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1.  Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary 
from an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially f rom 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 you r 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 understan d 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 in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant