Shrunken Pore Syndrome Is Frequently Occurring in Severe COVID-19

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In attachment.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors present an observational study (Descriptive study or others) that aims to characterize clinically relevant and potentially prognostic aspects of Shrunken Pore Syndrome (SPS) in ICU-treated patients with COVID-19.

Comments:

1.

Table 1 is a simplified Table, which makes the Table hard to read.

How to calculate the relationships between SPS and No SPS under Dexamethasone /or No steroids condition? 

There are several comparisons using Mann-Whitney U test.  

A multiple comparison test would be suggested.

2.

2.1. Study population, the demography of the cohort has previously been described [19,20].

The presentation of characteristics of the patients is suggested in Table, although the authors described previously in references 19-20, the sample size seems different.

3.

Abstract:

In dexamethasone-naïve patients, CRP, TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 did not differ between SPS and non-SPS patients, respectively.

Is CRP the abbreviation of C-reactive protein?

CRPmax needs to be defined.

TNF-alpha and interleukin-6 levels should be provided in Table.  

4.

Abstract:

Demographic factors (gender, BMI) and illness severity (Simplified Physiology Score (SAPS-3)) were independent predictors of SPS.

 

I think there was no new information in this study at its present presentation: a new and important finding with obvious clinical and SPS patient treatment implications.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

No further comment