Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0471-y (2016)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Discounting the Duration of Bolus Exposure in Impedance Tes ting Underestimates Acid 
Reflux  
 
 
Version: 0 Date: 11 Dec 2015  
 
 
Reviewer: Marco  Allaix  
 
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This is an interesting paper  on a controversial topic.  
 
I have some comments:  
 
1. abstract_ please report more data and not only "... was significantly longer..." or "...higher...", 
etc. Please be more precise.  
 
2. Materials and Methods_ please add the indications for MII  
 
3. Results_ y ou cannot start a sentence with numbers. Please rephrase all sentences beginning 
with numbers.  
 
 
 
 
 
4. Discussions_  
 
   * Please revbise the discussion, revising the current evidence on the role of pH and MII testing 
(see ref 11, and ref Am J Gastroenterol   20 06:101,453 -459; Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 
2007:5,172 -177; Gut 2006:55:1398 -1402 among others)  
 
  *Please discuss a little bit more in details the role of MII for weakly acidic reflux.  
 
5. references_ they are quite old, please cite also more recent papers.  
 
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.  
 
No 
 
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 manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the ma nuscript:  
 
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, 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 com peting 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 yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests'  
 
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