Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Efficacy of serum miRNA test as a non-invasive method to diagnose nonalcoholic 
steatohepatitis: a systematic review and meta -analysis.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 07 May 2020  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Interesting study  and hard work . Good methodology application  
 
I have some comments :  
 
1- the high leve l of heterogeneity is an important concern although subgroup analysis done to 
avoid. You could have added other studies including unpublished data, and major conference 
abstracts  
 
2- figures are of bad quality and difficult to read the contents  
 
3- The clini cal importance of the studied markers should be declared in the discussion section in 
details  
 
3- language polishing is needed   
 
Are the methods appropriate 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 drawn 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 editor s. 
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing 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 financial ly from 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 financia l 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 com peting interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details be low. 
 
'I declare that I have no competing interests'  
 
Reviewer Publication Consent. 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 ) if this 
manuscript is accepted for  publication. Any comments that I do not wish to be included in the 
published report have been included as confidential comments to the editor,  which will not be 
published.  If you are not happy for us to publish this report, please contact the editorial off ice 
before completing the review.  If you wish, you can include your name in your publish ed report. 
Please note you must decide whether to include your name at the start of the process and  confirm 
this decision whenever prompted. If you change your decision later, we will not be able to 
publish your name.  
 
I agree to the terms of the CC -BY 4.0 license; please do not publish my name with my report.  
(default)  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Efficacy of serum miRNA test as a non-invasive method to diagnose nonalcoholic 
steatohepatitis: a systematic review and meta -analysis.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 07 May 2020  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Interesting study  and hard work . Good methodology application  
 
I have some comments :  
 
1- the high leve l of heterogeneity is an important concern although subgroup analysis done to 
avoid. You could have added other studies including unpublished data, and major conference 
abstracts  
 
2- figures are of bad quality and difficult to read the contents  
 
3- The clini cal importance of the studied markers should be declared in the discussion section in 
details  
 
3- language polishing is needed   
 
Are the methods appropriate 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 drawn 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 editor s. 
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing 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 financial ly from 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 financia l 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 com peting interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details be low. 
 
'I declare that I have no competing interests'  
 
Reviewer Publication Consent. 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 ) if this 
manuscript is accepted for  publication. Any comments that I do not wish to be included in the 
published report have been included as confidential comments to the editor,  which will not be 
published.  If you are not happy for us to publish this report, please contact the editorial off ice 
before completing the review.  If you wish, you can include your name in your publish ed report. 
Please note you must decide whether to include your name at the start of the process and  confirm 
this decision whenever prompted. If you change your decision later, we will not be able to 
publish your name.  
 
I agree to the terms of the CC -BY 4.0 license; please do not publish my name with my report.  
(default)  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Efficacy of serum miRNA test as a non-invasive method to diagnose nonalcoholic 
steatohepatitis: a systematic review and meta -analysis.  
 
Version: 0 Date: 07 May 2020  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Interesting study  and hard work . Good methodology application  
 
I have some comments :  
 
1- the high leve l of heterogeneity is an important concern although subgroup analysis done to 
avoid. You could have added other studies including unpublished data, and major conference 
abstracts  
 
2- figures are of bad quality and difficult to read the contents  
 
3- The clini cal importance of the studied markers should be declared in the discussion section in 
details  
 
3- language polishing is needed   
 
Are the methods appropriate 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 drawn 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 editor s. 
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing 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 financial ly from 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 financia l 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 com peting interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details be low. 
 
'I declare that I have no competing interests'  
 
Reviewer Publication Consent. 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 ) if this 
manuscript is accepted for  publication. Any comments that I do not wish to be included in the 
published report have been included as confidential comments to the editor,  which will not be 
published.  If you are not happy for us to publish this report, please contact the editorial off ice 
before completing the review.  If you wish, you can include your name in your publish ed report. 
Please note you must decide whether to include your name at the start of the process and  confirm 
this decision whenever prompted. If you change your decision later, we will not be able to 
publish your name.  
 
I agree to the terms of the CC -BY 4.0 license; please do not publish my name with my report.  
(default)  
assistant