Review for 10.1186/s12876-025-04172-8 (2025)

Title: Relationship of Coffee Consumption with Colonic Diverticulosis
Version: 3 Date: 05 May 2025
Reviewer's report:
Thank you for your revised submission and detailed response to the editorial comments
regarding your manuscript, "Relationship of Coffee Consumption with Colonic Diverticulosis."
We appreciate the effort your team has made in clarifying and strengthening the manuscript.
After reviewing your responses and the revised version, we find that the manuscript has merit
and addresses a timely and novel research question. Specifically, the large sample size, inclusion
of detailed lifestyle variables, and analysis of different types of coffee consumption are strengths
that add value to your work.
That said, a few key issues remain that require minor revisions before acceptance:
1. Clarification of Study Design
Please ensure the cross-sectional nature of your study is clearly and consistently stated
throughout the manuscript, especially in the Abstract, Methods, and Discussion. While the data
collection was prospective, the exposure and outcome were assessed simultaneously, limiting
causal inference.
2. Causality and Reverse Association
It is important to explicitly acknowledge the possibility of reverse causation, where participants
may have altered coffee consumption due to gastrointestinal symptoms or medical advice prior
to colonoscopy. A brief discussion of this issue should be included in the Discussion section.
3. Selection Bias
Please note that your sample, though large, consists of individuals undergoing colonoscopy, who
may not reflect the general population. This limitation should be acknowledged as it may affect
the generalizability of your findings.
4. Justification of Exposure Measurement
Consider briefly discussing the validity and limitations of self-reported coffee consumption,
especially given the categorization by coffee type. This strengthens the reader’s confidence in
the interpretation of results.
Once these minor concerns are addressed, we believe your manuscript will be suitable for
publication. We look forward to receiving your revised manuscript.
Best regards,
Prof. Mohamed Hany, MD
Editor
Let me know if you'd like this adapted for a specific journal format or uploaded to a submission
portal.
You said:
Paste instead of attach
ChatGPT said:
Certainly! Here's the revised version of the editorial response that the author can paste directly
into a submission system instead of attaching a separate file:
Response to Author:
Dear Dr. Buldukoglu and colleagues,
Thank you for your revised submission and detailed response regarding your manuscript
titled "Relationship of Coffee Consumption with Colonic Diverticulosis." We appreciate the
substantial effort your team has made in addressing the comments and refining the manuscript.
Overall, your study investigates a novel and underexplored question, and the large sample size,
clear methodology, and attention to different types of coffee consumption are notable strengths.
The manuscript has potential for publication pending the following minor revisions:
Clarify Study Design: Please ensure that the manuscript clearly states that the study is
cross-sectional in nature. While data were prospectively collected, both the exposure (coffee
consumption) and the outcome (presence of diverticulosis) were assessed concurrently. This
distinction is important to prevent overinterpretation of causality.
Address Reverse Causality: We recommend explicitly acknowledging the possibility that some
participants may have modified their coffee intake due to gastrointestinal symptoms or previous
medical advice. This limitation should be discussed in the appropriate section.
Note on Generalizability: Since the study population consists of individuals undergoing
colonoscopy, please add a note in the Discussion about the potential selection bias and limited
generalizability to the broader population.
Exposure Measurement: Briefly discuss the reliability and limitations of self-reported coffee
consumption, especially considering the categorization into subtypes. This will strengthen the
reader's confidence in your analytical approach.
With these minor clarifications, we believe the manuscript will be suitable for publication. We
look forward to receiving your revised version.