Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR BLOCKERS AND RISK OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS 
- A POPULATION BASED CASE -CONTROL STUDY IN SWEDEN  
 
Version: 0 Date: 20 Sep 2016  
 
Reviewer: Tianquan Han  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manu by Bexelius et al found that angiotensin II receptor blockers were associated with risk 
of acute pancreatitis for the first time in spite of previ ous cell experiments and animal study.  
The results were obtained from 6161 cases with acute pancreatitis and 61637 controls after 
analysis with multivariable logistic regression which was supported by physiological study (ref 
16) and pathophysiological stu dy (ref 17) and by the study with rat model (ref 18 -20). 
Angiotensin II receptor blockers might be used to treat acute pancreatitis like as somatostatin. 
However, the clinical experience is much important and clinical study should be done before the 
applic ation of angiotensin II receptor blockers for patients with acute pancreatitis.  
                                                                                                            
Major points  
1. The results of retrospective or prospective clinical  trial may be needed to show the efficacy 
of angiotensin II receptor blockers in the treatment of severe and mild acute pancreatitis.  
2. Details on the clinical course in observing the patients are necessary in the study.  
  
Minor points  
1. Only 3 articles are published within the recent 5 years, any more recent references?  
2. The data of references 14, 19, 23 were incomplete.  
3. Reference 19 was in 2010 not in 2009.  
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 ad equately 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 manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recomm ended, please specify 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 competing inte rests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the  publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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 understand 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 included 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: ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR BLOCKERS AND RISK OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS 
- A POPULATION BASED CASE -CONTROL STUDY IN SWEDEN  
 
Version: 0 Date: 20 Sep 2016  
 
Reviewer: Tianquan Han  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manu by Bexelius et al found that angiotensin II receptor blockers were associated with risk 
of acute pancreatitis for the first time in spite of previ ous cell experiments and animal study.  
The results were obtained from 6161 cases with acute pancreatitis and 61637 controls after 
analysis with multivariable logistic regression which was supported by physiological study (ref 
16) and pathophysiological stu dy (ref 17) and by the study with rat model (ref 18 -20). 
Angiotensin II receptor blockers might be used to treat acute pancreatitis like as somatostatin. 
However, the clinical experience is much important and clinical study should be done before the 
applic ation of angiotensin II receptor blockers for patients with acute pancreatitis.  
                                                                                                            
Major points  
1. The results of retrospective or prospective clinical  trial may be needed to show the efficacy 
of angiotensin II receptor blockers in the treatment of severe and mild acute pancreatitis.  
2. Details on the clinical course in observing the patients are necessary in the study.  
  
Minor points  
1. Only 3 articles are published within the recent 5 years, any more recent references?  
2. The data of references 14, 19, 23 were incomplete.  
3. Reference 19 was in 2010 not in 2009.  
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 ad equately 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 manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recomm ended, please specify 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 competing inte rests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the  publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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 understand 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 included 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: ANGIOTENSIN II RECEPTOR BLOCKERS AND RISK OF ACUTE PANCREATITIS 
- A POPULATION BASED CASE -CONTROL STUDY IN SWEDEN  
 
Version: 0 Date: 20 Sep 2016  
 
Reviewer: Tianquan Han  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manu by Bexelius et al found that angiotensin II receptor blockers were associated with risk 
of acute pancreatitis for the first time in spite of previ ous cell experiments and animal study.  
The results were obtained from 6161 cases with acute pancreatitis and 61637 controls after 
analysis with multivariable logistic regression which was supported by physiological study (ref 
16) and pathophysiological stu dy (ref 17) and by the study with rat model (ref 18 -20). 
Angiotensin II receptor blockers might be used to treat acute pancreatitis like as somatostatin. 
However, the clinical experience is much important and clinical study should be done before the 
applic ation of angiotensin II receptor blockers for patients with acute pancreatitis.  
                                                                                                            
Major points  
1. The results of retrospective or prospective clinical  trial may be needed to show the efficacy 
of angiotensin II receptor blockers in the treatment of severe and mild acute pancreatitis.  
2. Details on the clinical course in observing the patients are necessary in the study.  
  
Minor points  
1. Only 3 articles are published within the recent 5 years, any more recent references?  
2. The data of references 14, 19, 23 were incomplete.  
3. Reference 19 was in 2010 not in 2009.  
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 ad equately 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 manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recomm ended, please specify 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 competing inte rests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the  publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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 understand 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 included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant