Peer Review History

Original SubmissionNovember 27, 2022
Decision Letter - Donovan Anthony McGrowder, Editor

PONE-D-22-32680Use of Machine Learning to Identify Risk Factors for Coronary Artery DiseasePLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Huang,

Thank you for submitting your manuscript to PLOS ONE. After careful consideration, we feel that it has merit but does not fully meet PLOS ONE’s publication criteria as it currently stands. Therefore, we invite you to submit a revised version of the manuscript that addresses the points raised during the review process.

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We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.

Kind regards,

Donovan Anthony McGrowder, PhD., MA., MSc

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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Additional Editor Comments (if provided):

Dear Dr. Huang,

Your manuscript “Use of Machine Learning to Identify Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease” has been assessed by our reviewers. They have raised a number of points which we believe would improve the manuscript and may allow a revised version to be published in PLOS ONE. Their reports, together with any other comments, are below.

 If you are able to fully address these points, we would encourage you to submit a revised manuscript to PLOS ONE.

 Best regards,

Dr. Donovan McGrowder

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: General comments

Integrating the Machine-learning model with the usual statistical analysis model can be a promising revolution in e-Health ad m-Health to solve complex issues accurately and effectively.

The crux of this manuscript is the use of new analytical techniques to complement the usual statistical model. The authors have used machine learning to predict the risk of CAD by capturing the actual physiological relationship of the factors associated with the risk of CAD. The manuscript is well written: methodology is well narrated and executed; the results are well presented, and the discussion is well articulated.

The manuscript lacks page numbers; please insert them in the next version of the manuscript.

Specific comments

Abstract:

- Line 24: The author should define the abbreviation “SHAP.” Most abbreviations must be defined upon first use unless otherwise explained.

Methods:

- Line 91: Why p<0.0001 was the cut-off level of statistical significance to include covariate in the machine-learning model? Is there any reference or statistical explanation?

Discussion:

- Line 200: Misspelled word - Replace “contrary” artery disease with “coronary” artery disease.

Reviewer #2: Thanks very much for this very interesting and informative article. I feel that overall the paper was well written and without significant flaws. The study objectives and the methods section are clearly defined, the article is easily readable, and the topic is relevant to the readership. Limitations are adequately addressed. Conclusions are appropriate for the scope of the study. The paper is formally correct and it is clear its clinical relevance, and what this article should add to the body of knowledge on this topic.

**********

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Revision 1

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

________________________________________

2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

________________________________________

3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

________________________________________

4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

________________________________________

5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: General comments

Integrating the Machine-learning model with the usual statistical analysis model can be a promising revolution in e-Health ad m-Health to solve complex issues accurately and effectively.

The crux of this manuscript is the use of new analytical techniques to complement the usual statistical model. The authors have used machine learning to predict the risk of CAD by capturing the actual physiological relationship of the factors associated with the risk of CAD. The manuscript is well written: methodology is well narrated and executed; the results are well presented, and the discussion is well articulated.

The manuscript lacks page numbers; please insert them in the next version of the manuscript.

###Thank you for your suggestion. The authors have added page numbers.

Specific comments

Abstract:

- Line 24: The author should define the abbreviation “SHAP.” Most abbreviations must be defined upon first use unless otherwise explained.

### Thank you for your suggestion. The authors have defined the abbreviation SHAP on the first instance of its use.

Methods:

- Line 91: Why p<0.0001 was the cut-off level of statistical significance to include covariate in the machine-learning model? Is there any reference or statistical explanation?

##Thank you for your inquiry. A p-value of 0.05 is commonly used. Since we had 684 covariates – we adjusted for multiple testing with a Bonferroni adjustment, the most conservative methodology of adjustment. Then we rounded to the nearest value.

Discussion:

- Line 200: Misspelled word - Replace “contrary” artery disease with “coronary” artery disease.

### Thank you for your suggestion. The authors have made the edit.

Reviewer #2: Thanks very much for this very interesting and informative article. I feel that overall the paper was well written and without significant flaws. The study objectives and the methods section are clearly defined, the article is easily readable, and the topic is relevant to the readership. Limitations are adequately addressed. Conclusions are appropriate for the scope of the study. The paper is formally correct and it is clear its clinical relevance, and what this article should add to the body of knowledge on this topic.

### Thank you for your positive feedback.

Attachments
Attachment
Submitted filename: reviewer rebuttle.docx
Decision Letter - Donovan Anthony McGrowder, Editor

Use of Machine Learning to Identify Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease

PONE-D-22-32680R1

Dear Dr. Huang,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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If your institution or institutions have a press office, please notify them about your upcoming paper to help maximize its impact. If they’ll be preparing press materials, please inform our press team as soon as possible -- no later than 48 hours after receiving the formal acceptance. Your manuscript will remain under strict press embargo until 2 pm Eastern Time on the date of publication. For more information, please contact onepress@plos.org.

Kind regards,

Donovan Anthony McGrowder, PhD., MA., MSc

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear Dr. Huang,

The manuscript entitled “Use of Machine Learning to Identify Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease” was revised in accordance with the reviewers’ comments and is provisionally accepted pending final checks for formatting and technical requirements.

Regards,

Dr. Donovan McGrowder (Academic Editor)

Formally Accepted
Acceptance Letter - Donovan Anthony McGrowder, Editor

PONE-D-22-32680R1

Use of Machine Learning to Identify Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease

Dear Dr. Huang:

I'm pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been deemed suitable for publication in PLOS ONE. Congratulations! Your manuscript is now with our production department.

If your institution or institutions have a press office, please let them know about your upcoming paper now to help maximize its impact. If they'll be preparing press materials, please inform our press team within the next 48 hours. Your manuscript will remain under strict press embargo until 2 pm Eastern Time on the date of publication. For more information please contact onepress@plos.org.

If we can help with anything else, please email us at plosone@plos.org.

Thank you for submitting your work to PLOS ONE and supporting open access.

Kind regards,

PLOS ONE Editorial Office Staff

on behalf of

Dr. Donovan Anthony McGrowder

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

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