Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0541-1 (2016)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  Effectiveness of cyclosporine as a treatment for steroid -resistant Cronkhite -Canada 
syndrome; two case reports  
 
Version: 0 Date: 19 Apr 2016 
 
Reviewer:  Sajan  Nagpal  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript. Your work provides more insight into 
this rare condition and supports emerging evidence in the treatment of this field. Please consider 
the following comments for revision of the manuscript.  
 
-Page 3, Line 34. Suggest the line be changed to Treatment with.... could be a potential option 
for steroid -resistant CCS.  
 
-Page 4 Line 9. Agree that the pathophysiology remains unclear but the authors can explain the 
proposed etiologies in terms of autoimmunity, infection with a mention of its association with 
IgG4 -related disease, citing specific references for etiologies if  possible. This is especially 
important because in the Discussion section, you discuss the various proposed treatment options 
as well.  
 
-Page 6, Line 5. Kindly explain why literature review was only performed beginning the year 
2000. Only 50 cases have bee n reported since then. Since its discover in 1955, more than 500 
cases of CCS have been reported. A better review of literature to look for reported steroid 
resistance and the role of CyA (which was also in existence prior to 2000). If no such 
information is available, please comment accordingly.  
 
-Page 6, Line 22: Autoimmunity has been suggested as a potential etiology for this condition for 
a long time. Please explain why this is considered recent in your opinion. Overall the paragraph 
needs grammatical i mprovement.  
 
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.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
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 relevan t to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language c orrections before being published  
 
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 c ontent 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 yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare tha t I have no competing interests  
 
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