Review for 10.1186/s12876-021-01738-0 (2021)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Linaclotide for the treatment of refractory lower bowel manifestations of
systemic sclerosis
Version: 
0 
Date: 
17 Nov 2020
Reviewer's report:
The study was conducted over a rather long period of time and, I would argue, it
only enrolled 31 patients over a period of more than 6 years. Therefore, I don't
think the sample size is a strength of the article. In my opinion, this is the first
point of relative criticality of the article.
There remain some weaknesses that I have already partially highlighted: - a) the
smallness of the sample examined in a rather large period of time; - b) the
already highlighted absence of a matched control group; - c) some simple
calculation errors: RESULTS - Patient attributes: line 55-56 = 26/31, 84% and
not 87%; line 55-56 = 22/31, 71% and not 76%; line 58 = 7/31, 23% and not
24%; next page - line 4-5 = 7/31, 23% and not 24%; - d) the unclear description
of the criteria by which patients were assigned to the high-dose Linaclotide
group (13/31 patients - 42%) or to the low-dose Linaclotide group (18/31
patients - 58%); -e) REFERENCES - line 48 - 5. Nagaraja V, McMahan ZH,
Getzug T, et al. and not Nagaraja V, McMahan ZH, Getzug T, Khanna D; line 7
- 13.… ..systemic sclerosis: An American College of Rheumatology / European
League .... and not… ..systemic sclerosis: An American College of
Rhuematology / European League .....
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Is the study design appropriate to answer the research question (including the use
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