Predictors of Response to Hydroxyurea and Switch to Ruxolitinib in HU-Resistant Polycythaemia VERA Patients: A Real-World PV-NET Study
, Elena Rossi 2,3, Giuseppe Auteri 1,4, Massimo Breccia 5, Simona Paglia 4, Giulia Benevolo 6, Elena M. Elli 7, Francesco Cavazzini 8, Gianni Binotto 9, Alessia Tieghi 10, Mario Tiribelli 11, Florian H. Heidel 12, Massimiliano Bonifacio 13, Novella Pugliese 14, Giovanni Caocci 15, Monica Crugnola 16, Francesco Mendicino 17, Alessandra D'Addio 18, Simona Tomassetti 19, Bruno Martino 20, Sara Ceglie 2, Alessia Ripamonti 7, Bruno Garibaldi 22, Fabrizio Pane 14, Mauro Krampera 13, Giuseppe A. Palumbo 25, Roberto Latagliata 27 and Valerio De Stefano 2,3add
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Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This is a really very interesting retrospective assessment of PV patients treated primarily with HU. In the light of new first line therapeutic strategies with ropeginterferon proceeding more and more into first line, we also have a proportion of patients who are not candidates for IFN, therefore the findings of this retrospective analysis are very important and interesting.
The Conclusions are identical with the last passage of the discussion, so I think this part should be revised.
Author Response
Thank you for the comment. Indeed, the conclusions were also erroneously reported in the discussion. We have deleted the repeated parts from the discussion.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
This is a very interesting study evaluating the role of HU and RUX in the selected patients. It is a report form a long period and a large chort of patients. It is important as it reflects real life data, some patients were on low dose HU (only partially effeftive) and others switshed to RUX. This comparison is very valuable.
I have only minor technical problem.
The authors stated that all patients agreed to the study. As it is a retrospective study, some patients died and could not consent. Please clarifiy this section, how this was done. THis was a retrospective non-inerventional study, so this can be sorted out.
All the other content is acceptable and woth publishing.
None.
Author Response
Thank you for the comment.
For patients currently followed at the experimental center, Informed Consent was obtained as part of one of the visits in the normal care pathway.
For deceased patients, Italian regulations authorize the processing of personal data carried out for scientific research purposes (Gazzetta Ufficiale no. 72 dated 03/26/2012). Therefore, the processing of personal data is considered authorized upon approval of the study by the Ethics Committee.
This important point has been detailed in the appropriate section (Ethical aspects, please find the changes in bold red).
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
