Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0519-z (2016)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Endoscopic ultrasonography with fine -needle aspiration for histological diagnosis of solid 
pancreatic masses: A meta -analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies  
 
 
Version: 1 Date: 14 Apr 2016  
 
 
Reviewer: Stavros  Antoniou  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The authors have adequately addressed the reviewers' comments.  
Two further minor suggestions have to be taken into account:  
1. Quadas should be replaced by QUADAS.  
2. The paragraph "There were some limitations  to this study. The exclusion of non -English 
articles was a limitation and potential source of language bias."is not a standalone. Either further 
limitations should be addressed, or it should be included in another paragraph.  
Congratulations on the fine wo rk. 
 
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 supporte d 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 recommended, please spe cify 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 interests  
Please comp lete 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 t his 
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 apply ing 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 your reply is y es to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests . 
 
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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'  
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CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand th at 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