Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0452-1 (2016)

Reviewer’s report  
Title: Prevalence of gastro -esophageal reflux disease and its risk factors in a community -based  
population in southern India  
 
Version: 0 Date: 20 Oct 2015  
 
Reviewer: Fernando Herbella  
Reviewer’s report:  
Wang et al. present a questionnaire -based  populational inquiry on the prevalence of GERD in 
South India.  
 
Although the manuscript has a more regional than global interest, it may help understand the 
distribution of GERD. In my opinion, the manuscript needs improvement in 2 main topics:  
 
1) Plent y of studies show that symptoms are inaccurate to diagnosis GERD. Obviously, a 
populational study with pHmonitoring is almost impossible to accomplish; however, the 
authors should discuss the limitations of the GERD diagnosis by symptoms only and 
remove th e unsubstantiate sentence in the introduction that pHmonitoring " has no utility 
in routine clinical settings".  
 
2) The authors should improve the discussion of their findings. How and why the studied 
putative risk factors are rekated to GERD. We prorbably  can learn more from the data 
than the simple prevalence of GERD in south India.  
 
Other comments:  
 
1) Move the fact that questionnaires were filled by interviewers to the "methods" section  
 
2) The positive risk factors for GERD are mentioned different along the manuscript. 
Abstract says that BMI, pan massala and urban environment are risk factors. Results 
added educational level and age. Discussion ignored age and urban environment.  
Conclusi ons ignored age. In Table 3, being a Christian is borderline.  
 
3) I am ignorant about what pan massala is. Please clarify.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please spe cify 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.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript o r 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.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written Engl ish 
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, consideri ng 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, e ither now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organis ation that may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, e ither 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 fin ancial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests  in relation to this pa per? 
 
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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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal