Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1097-7 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Patient and Provider Differences in the Treatment of Opioid -Induced C onstipation: A 
Qualitative Study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 09 Sep 2019  
 
Reviewer: Brigida Barberio  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
The manuscript entitled "Patient and Provider Differences in the Treatment of Opioid -Induced 
Constipation: A Qualitative Study " by Michelle S. Keller et al. report a semi -structured 
interviews with 33 clinicians, and held three focus groups with patients who were currently using 
or had used opioids for chronic non - cancer pain. They found that patients report being eager to 
discuss OIC and its potential remedies, despite clinician beliefs that patients rarely seek to raise 
these points during their consult ation. Patients also noted that they often do not receive enough 
information about treating constipation and other side effects. They also found that cost was a 
major concern for both patients and clinicians regarding treating OIC.  
 
Overall, the manuscript  is well written and the topic is interesting.  I have not the concern.  
 
I have evaluated manuscript and I think it should be accepted by BMC Gastroenterology.  
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in yo ur 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.  
 
No 
 
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 i n your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following question s: 
 
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 r eimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents 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 relati on 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  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. 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 on the website along with the authors' 
respo nses. I agree for my report to be made available 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 w ish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal