Review for 10.1186/s12876-023-02841-0 (2023)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease:
comparison between the first and second pandemic waves
Version: 
1 
Date: 
05 Mar 2023
Reviewer: 
sara massironi
Reviewer's report:
The paper titled "SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with inflammatory bowel
disease: comparison between the first and second pandemic waves" presents an
insightful analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on patients with inflammatory
bowel disease. The study compares the clinical and laboratory features of
patients with IBD who contracted COVID-19 during the first and second waves
of the pandemic in Italy.
However, there are also several criticisms that need to be addressed. 
Firstly, it is mentioned that the study is prospective, but later on it is revealed
that it is retrospective. This point should be clarified to avoid any confusion
among the readers.
Secondly, the paper could benefit from the inclusion of BMI in Table 1 and
Table 4 to provide a more comprehensive overview of the patients'
characteristics.
Thirdly, given the reported increased risk of GI bleeding in patients with
COVID-19 (see PMID: 35287301 and PMID: 32480008), it would be interesting
especially in patients with IBD, to see if there is any difference in bleeding risk
between the first and second waves in this cohort of patients. This could provide
valuable information for clinicians in managing IBD patients during the ongoing
pandemic.
Moreover, the low prevalence of GI symptoms reported in this series is in
contrast to the high prevalence reported in other studies. For instance, Viganò et
al. reported a prevalence of up to 49% in IBD patients during the first wave in
Italy (PMID: 32949238). This discrepancy should be discussed in the paper to
provide a more nuanced view of the findings.
Finally, the discussion section could be enriched by highlighting similarities and
differences between the two waves in other countries or diseases. This could help
contextualize the results and provide a more global perspective on the impact of
COVID-19 on IBD patients.
Additionally, it is important to note that the paper would benefit from an
extensive language review. There are several grammatical and syntactical errors
that could detract from the clarity of the text and make it difficult for readers to
follow the arguments. A thorough language review would improve the
readability
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no conflicts
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Is the study design appropriate to answer the research question (including the use
of appropriate controls), and are the conclusions supported by the evidence
presented?
Yes
Are the methods sufficiently described to allow the study to be repeated?
Yes
Is the use of statistics and treatment of uncertainties appropriate?
Yes
Is the presentation of the work clear?
No
Are the images in this manuscript (including electrophoretic gels and blots) free
from apparent manipulation?
Yes
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