Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Epidemiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Iran : A Systematic Review and Meta -
analysis  
 
Version: 0 Date: 31 May 2020  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
1. I cannot find Table 1 and Table 2. Please present them.  
 
2. In the page 7, there are five values for 'the daily, weekly, monthly, and overall prevalence of 
GERD symptoms in Iranian females was 7.88%..., 12.81%..., 16.96%..., 17.07%..., 45.41%....  
Please revise this.  
 
3. In the page 8, what do you mean by 'powerf ul' in "The sensitivity analysis for prevalence of 
daily, weekly, monthly, and overall prevalence of heartburn by removing a study showed that the 
overall result is still powerful (Figure 5 -Supplement)."  
Please revise this sentence.  
 
4. In the results, the re are some evidences that can suspect publication bias (Egger's test P &lt;0.05) 
for GERD, heartburn, and regurgitation. But, there is no explanation in the discussion. Please add 
a discussion on this issue.  
 
Are the met hods 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 editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscr ipt: 
 
Acceptable  
 
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 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 in terests' below.  
If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
No COI  
 
Reviewer Publication Consent. I agree fo r 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 be en 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 edi torial office 
before completing the review.  If you wish, you can include your name in your published re port. 
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 licen se; please do not publish my name with my report.  
(default)  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Epidemiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Iran : A Systematic Review and Meta -
analysis  
 
Version: 0 Date: 31 May 2020  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
1. I cannot find Table 1 and Table 2. Please present them.  
 
2. In the page 7, there are five values for 'the daily, weekly, monthly, and overall prevalence of 
GERD symptoms in Iranian females was 7.88%..., 12.81%..., 16.96%..., 17.07%..., 45.41%....  
Please revise this.  
 
3. In the page 8, what do you mean by 'powerf ul' in "The sensitivity analysis for prevalence of 
daily, weekly, monthly, and overall prevalence of heartburn by removing a study showed that the 
overall result is still powerful (Figure 5 -Supplement)."  
Please revise this sentence.  
 
4. In the results, the re are some evidences that can suspect publication bias (Egger's test P &lt;0.05) 
for GERD, heartburn, and regurgitation. But, there is no explanation in the discussion. Please add 
a discussion on this issue.  
 
Are the met hods 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 editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscr ipt: 
 
Acceptable  
 
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 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 in terests' below.  
If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
No COI  
 
Reviewer Publication Consent. I agree fo r 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 be en 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 edi torial office 
before completing the review.  If you wish, you can include your name in your published re port. 
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 licen se; please do not publish my name with my report.  
(default)  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Epidemiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Iran : A Systematic Review and Meta -
analysis  
 
Version: 0 Date: 31 May 2020  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
1. I cannot find Table 1 and Table 2. Please present them.  
 
2. In the page 7, there are five values for 'the daily, weekly, monthly, and overall prevalence of 
GERD symptoms in Iranian females was 7.88%..., 12.81%..., 16.96%..., 17.07%..., 45.41%....  
Please revise this.  
 
3. In the page 8, what do you mean by 'powerf ul' in "The sensitivity analysis for prevalence of 
daily, weekly, monthly, and overall prevalence of heartburn by removing a study showed that the 
overall result is still powerful (Figure 5 -Supplement)."  
Please revise this sentence.  
 
4. In the results, the re are some evidences that can suspect publication bias (Egger's test P &lt;0.05) 
for GERD, heartburn, and regurgitation. But, there is no explanation in the discussion. Please add 
a discussion on this issue.  
 
Are the met hods 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 editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscr ipt: 
 
Acceptable  
 
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 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 in terests' below.  
If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
No COI  
 
Reviewer Publication Consent. I agree fo r 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 be en 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 edi torial office 
before completing the review.  If you wish, you can include your name in your published re port. 
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 licen se; please do not publish my name with my report.  
(default)  
assistant