OphthoEvidence Report: Baseline structural optical coherence tomography biomarkers predictive of visual acuity following epiretinal membrane surgery- A systematic review andmeta-analysis protocol

PONE-D-25-59787

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Journal Requirements:

1. Thank you for stating the following in the Competing Interests section:

[All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE disclosures form. XC, JPL, DZ, JM: None; SS reports grants from Bayer, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, and AbbVie; consultancy for AbbVie, Alimera Sciences, Amgen, Apellis, Astellas, Bayer, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clearside Biomedical, Eyebiotech, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Iveric Bio, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Optos, Ocular Therapeutix, Kriya Therapeutics, OcuTerra, Ripple Therapeutics, Roche, Stealth Biotherapeutics, and Sanofi; payment or honoraria from Bayer, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, and AbbVie; meeting/travel support from Bayer and Roche; participation on an advisory board or DSMB for Novo Nordisk; stock or stock options in EyeBiotech; and receipt of materials or services from Boehringer Ingelheim. DHS: Consultant for Alcon, BVI, DORC, Roche, Alimera, Eyepoint, Complement therapeutics, Sitala, AviadoBio; Research funding: Alcon, Bayer, DORC, BVI, Boehringer-Ingelheim; PK: Dr. Kaiser serves as a consultant for AAVAntgarde Bio, Abbvie, Alcon, Alexion, Alkeus, Allgenesis, Alzheon, Amaros, Annexon Biosciences, AsclepiX, Astellas, Augen Therapeutics, Aviceda, Bayer, Bausch and Lomb, Beacon Therapeutics (AGTC), Biogen Idec, Bionic Vision Technologies, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Celltrion Healthcare Co., Complement Therapeutics, Endogena Therapeutics, Frontera Therapeutics, Galimedix, Innovent, Invirsa, iRenix, Isarna, Janssen, jCyte, Kanaph Therapeutics, Kanghong, Kera Therapeutics, Kriya Therapeutics, Nanoscope Therapeutics, Ocugenix, Oculis, Omeros, Osanni Bio, Panther Pharmaceuticals, Ray Therapeutics, RegenxBio, Resonance Medicine Inc., RetinaAI Medical AG, Retinal Sciences, ReVana, Revopsis, Roivant, Samsung Bioepis, Sandoz, SGN Nanopharma Inc., SmileBiotek Zhuhai Ltd, Stealth Biotherapeutics, Stuart, Sustained Nano Systems, Takeda, Théa, Tilak, Unity Biotechnology, Vanotech, VisgenX; He is an employee of Ocular Therapeutics. TYW: Professor Wong is a consultant for Astellas, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Genentech, Iveric Bio, Novartis, Oxurion, Plano, Roche, Sanofi, and Shanghai Henlius. He is an inventor, holds patents and is a co-founder of start-up companies EyRiS and Visre, which have interests in, and develop digital solutions for eye diseases; CCW: Dr. Wykoff reports consulting for 4DMT, AbbVie, Adverum, Alcon, Alimera, Alkeus, Annexon, Apellis, Aviceda, Bayer, Biocryst, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clearside, EyeBiotech, EyePoint, Genentech, InGel, Janssen, Kiora, KodiakMerck, Neurotech, Novartis, Ocuphire, ONL, Opthea, Osanni, Panther, Perceive Bio, Ray, Regeneron, RegenXBio, Sanofi, Santen, Stealth, Valo, Zeiss.; VC: Dr. Chaudhary reports acting as an advisory board member, grants and other from Novartis; acting as an advisory board member, grants and other from Bayer; grants from Allergan; acting as an advisory board member and grants from Roche; acting as an advisory board member for Janssen; acting as an advisory board member for Apellis; acting as an advisory board member for Boehringer Ingelheim, and acting as an advisory board member for EyePoint outside the submitted work.]. 

We note that you received funding from a commercial source: Bayer, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, AbbVie, Alcon, DORC, BVI, Allergan,

Please provide an amended Competing Interests Statement that explicitly states this commercial funder, along with any other relevant declarations relating to employment, consultancy, patents, products in development, marketed products, etc.

Within this Competing Interests Statement, please confirm that this does not alter your adherence to all PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials by including the following statement: "This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.” (as detailed online in our guide for authors http://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/competing-interests). If there are restrictions on sharing of data and/or materials, please state these. Please note that we cannot proceed with consideration of your article until this information has been declared.

Please respond by return email with your amended Competing Interests Statement and we will change the online submission form on your behalf.

2. Thank you for stating the following in the Competing Interests section:

[All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE disclosures form. XC, JPL, DZ, JM: None; SS reports grants from Bayer, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, and AbbVie; consultancy for AbbVie, Alimera Sciences, Amgen, Apellis, Astellas, Bayer, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clearside Biomedical, Eyebiotech, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Iveric Bio, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Optos, Ocular Therapeutix, Kriya Therapeutics, OcuTerra, Ripple Therapeutics, Roche, Stealth Biotherapeutics, and Sanofi; payment or honoraria from Bayer, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, and AbbVie; meeting/travel support from Bayer and Roche; participation on an advisory board or DSMB for Novo Nordisk; stock or stock options in EyeBiotech; and receipt of materials or services from Boehringer Ingelheim. DHS: Consultant for Alcon, BVI, DORC, Roche, Alimera, Eyepoint, Complement therapeutics, Sitala, AviadoBio; Research funding: Alcon, Bayer, DORC, BVI, Boehringer-Ingelheim; PK: Dr. Kaiser serves as a consultant for AAVAntgarde Bio, Abbvie, Alcon, Alexion, Alkeus, Allgenesis, Alzheon, Amaros, Annexon Biosciences, AsclepiX, Astellas, Augen Therapeutics, Aviceda, Bayer, Bausch and Lomb, Beacon Therapeutics (AGTC), Biogen Idec, Bionic Vision Technologies, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Celltrion Healthcare Co., Complement Therapeutics, Endogena Therapeutics, Frontera Therapeutics, Galimedix, Innovent, Invirsa, iRenix, Isarna, Janssen, jCyte, Kanaph Therapeutics, Kanghong, Kera Therapeutics, Kriya Therapeutics, Nanoscope Therapeutics, Ocugenix, Oculis, Omeros, Osanni Bio, Panther Pharmaceuticals, Ray Therapeutics, RegenxBio, Resonance Medicine Inc., RetinaAI Medical AG, Retinal Sciences, ReVana, Revopsis, Roivant, Samsung Bioepis, Sandoz, SGN Nanopharma Inc., SmileBiotek Zhuhai Ltd, Stealth Biotherapeutics, Stuart, Sustained Nano Systems, Takeda, Théa, Tilak, Unity Biotechnology, Vanotech, VisgenX; He is an employee of Ocular Therapeutics. TYW: Professor Wong is a consultant for Astellas, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Genentech, Iveric Bio, Novartis, Oxurion, Plano, Roche, Sanofi, and Shanghai Henlius. He is an inventor, holds patents and is a co-founder of start-up companies EyRiS and Visre, which have interests in, and develop digital solutions for eye diseases; CCW: Dr. Wykoff reports consulting for 4DMT, AbbVie, Adverum, Alcon, Alimera, Alkeus, Annexon, Apellis, Aviceda, Bayer, Biocryst, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clearside, EyeBiotech, EyePoint, Genentech, InGel, Janssen, Kiora, KodiakMerck, Neurotech, Novartis, Ocuphire, ONL, Opthea, Osanni, Panther, Perceive Bio, Ray, Regeneron, RegenXBio, Sanofi, Santen, Stealth, Valo, Zeiss.; VC: Dr. Chaudhary reports acting as an advisory board member, grants and other from Novartis; acting as an advisory board member, grants and other from Bayer; grants from Allergan; acting as an advisory board member and grants from Roche; acting as an advisory board member for Janssen; acting as an advisory board member for Apellis; acting as an advisory board member for Boehringer Ingelheim, and acting as an advisory board member for EyePoint outside the submitted work.].   

We note that one or more of the authors are employed/affiliated by a commercial company: 4DMT, AAVAntgarde Bio, AbbVie, Adverum, Alcon, Alexion, Alimera Sciences, Alkeus, Allergan, Allgenesis, Alzheon, Amaros, Amgen, Annexon Biosciences, Apellis, AsclepiX, Astellas, Augen Therapeutics, Aviceda, AviadoBio, Bausch and Lomb, Bayer, Beacon Therapeutics (AGTC), Biocryst, Biogen, Bionic Vision Technologies, Boehringer Ingelheim, BVI, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Celltrion Healthcare Co., Clearside Biomedical, Complement Therapeutics, DORC, Endogena Therapeutics, EyeBiotech, Eyebiotech, EyePoint Pharmaceuticals, Frontera Therapeutics, Galimedix, Genentech, InGel, Innovent, Invirsa, iRenix, Isarna, Iveric Bio, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, jCyte, Kanaph Therapeutics, Kanghong, Kera Therapeutics, Kiora, Kodiak, Kriya Therapeutics, Merck, Nanoscope Therapeutics, Neurotech, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Ocugenix, Ocuphire, Ocular Therapeutix, Oculis, OcuTerra, Omeros, ONL, Opthea, Optos, Osanni Bio, Oxurion, Panther Pharmaceuticals, Perceive Bio, Plano, Ray Therapeutics, Regeneron, RegenXBio, Resonance Medicine Inc., RetinaAI Medical AG, Retinal Sciences, ReVana, Revopsis, Ripple Therapeutics, Roche, Roivant, Samsung Bioepis, Sandoz, Sanofi, Santen, SGN Nanopharma Inc., Shanghai Henlius, Sitala, SmileBiotek Zhuhai Ltd, Stealth Biotherapeutics, Stuart, Sustained Nano Systems, Takeda, Théa, Tilak, Unity Biotechnology, Valo, Vanotech, and VisgenX.

1. Please provide an amended Funding Statement declaring this commercial affiliation, as well as a statement regarding the Role of Funders in your study. If the funding organization did not play a role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript and only provided financial support in the form of authors' salaries and/or research materials, please review your statements relating to the author contributions, and ensure you have specifically and accurately indicated the role(s) that these authors had in your study. You can update author roles in the Author Contributions section of the online submission form.

Please also include the following statement within your amended Funding Statement.

“The funder provided support in the form of salaries for authors [insert relevant initials], but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.”

If your commercial affiliation did play a role in your study, please state and explain this role within your updated Funding Statement.

2. Please also provide an updated Competing Interests Statement declaring this commercial affiliation along with any other relevant declarations relating to employment, consultancy, patents, products in development, or marketed products, etc. 

Within your Competing Interests Statement, please confirm that this commercial affiliation does not alter your adherence to all PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials by including the following statement: "This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.” (as detailed online in our guide for authors http://journals.plos.org/plosone/s/competing-interests). If this adherence statement is not accurate and there are restrictions on sharing of data and/or materials, please state these. Please note that we cannot proceed with consideration of your article until this information has been declared.

Please respond by return email with an updated Funding Statement and Competing Interests Statement and we will change the online submission form on your behalf.

Reviewers' comments: