Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-1166-y (2020)

Reviewer’s report
Title: Associations between disease activity, social support and health-related quality of life in
patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: the mediating role of psychological symptoms
Version: 0 Date: 15 Aug 2019
Reviewer: Sita Chokhavatia
Reviewer's report:
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Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases may have a high burden of psychological comorbidities
including depression and anxiety. Psychosocial issues in addition to depression, anxiety can impact
their disease course as wells as disease severity and also patient's health related quality of life-HRQoL.
(Clinical Gastroenterol and Hepatol 2017;15:986-997. Curr Pharm Des 2017; 23(27):3997-4002.)
The authors present their data on a cross sectional study collecting data from patients on various self
administered questionnaires. Patients answered questions on psychological symptoms (HAD), disease
activity (CAI and CDAI), health related quality of life (IBDQ) and social support (SSRS) and these
were analyzed to evaluate how the psychological symptoms mediated patients' disease activity, social
support and HRQoL. 
Their results are consistent with previous reports of the negative correlation between psychological
symptoms, disease  activity and  HRQoL. Their conclusion  regarding  the psychological  symptoms'
mediation effect on social support as it relates to HRQoL is interesting, albeit based on a small sample. 
Additional article which may be of interest to the authors: 
PLOS ONE DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0171864 February 10/2017: Patient self reported concerns in
IBD:A gender specific subjective quality of life indicator. Pittet, V, Vaucher C, Froehlich F, et al
Are the methods appropriate and well described?
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Yes
Does the work include the necessary controls?
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No
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?
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Unable to assess
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additional statistical review?
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assessment in your comments to the editors.
I recommend additional statistical review
Quality of written English
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Needs some language corrections before being published
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