Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0884-x (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title:  ASCA and ANCA among Bedouin Arabs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, the 
Frequency and Phenotype Correlation  
 
Version: 1 Date:  21 May 2018 
 
Reviewer:  Steven T  Leach  
 
Reviewer’s report:  
 
The authors have not sufficiently addressed all of the initial comments of this reviewer.  
 
The revised version does not provide details of the sensitivity of the assays or of how the authors 
have defined ASCA/ANCA positivity. This infor mation is essential for the reader to objectively 
assess the study.  
 
A further minor issue is that the authors introduce the IBD, CD and UC acronyms in the first 
sentence of the introduction but continue to swap between the acronym and full description of 
the diseases throughout the manuscript which is an unnecessary distraction.  
 
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 specify 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.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is re commended, 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 manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections 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 pa tents relating to the content 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 that I have no competing interests  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report 
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I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal