Review for 10.1186/s12876-015-0405-0 (2016)

Reviewer’s report 
Title:  Increasing Rate of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A 1 2-Year Retrospective Study in 
NingXia, China 
 
Version:  0 Date:  09 Sep 2015 
 
Reviewer:  David Ong 
 
Reviewer's report: 
The paper was generally well written.  Despite it b eing a retrospective paper, I think that it is 
novel in that it is one of the earliest and largest  cohort studied from that region of China. 
 
I have a few queries which I think the authors shou ld address: 
 
1. Why were there no Indeterminate colitis cases? 
2. Without much use of imaging as stated in the pap er in diagnosis, how were they able to assess 
for small bowel involvement? 
3. In the description of the demographics of the po pulation they have used categories of Manual, 
intermediate and mental.  This is not a classificat ion that I am familiar with.  Can they change it 
to a more universally accepted for of classificatio n?  I am assuming that this classification is 
trying to state the level of activity of the patien ts, such as if they work outdoor in a physical role  
or mainly in a  desk bound job. 
4. In the discussion section the authors speculated  that a slower pace of life led to a lower 
incidence of IBD.  I am not sure on what basis they  can conclude this to support this statement. 
5. In the treatment of patients there is also no me ntion of surgical rates.  If the authors are able t o 
get hold of this information, it would be very help ful to add more depth to the paper. 
  
Are the methods appropriate and well described? 
If not, please specify what is required in your com ments 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 t he data shown? 
If not, please explain in your comments to the auth ors. 
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manusc ript 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. 
I am able to assess the statistics 
Quality of written English 
Please indicate the quality of language in the manu script: 
Acceptable 
Declaration of competing interests 
Please complete a declaration of competing interest s, considering the following questions: 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbur sements, fees, funding, or salary from 
an organisation that may in any way gain or lose fi nancially from the publication of 
this manuscript, either now or in the future? 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisat ion 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 an y 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 co ntent of the manuscript? 
5. Do you have any other financial competing intere sts? 
6. Do you have any non-financial competing interest s 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 be low. 
'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al. I understand that my name will be included 
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 o n the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made availab le under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named repo rt can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published. 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al