Review for 10.1186/s12876-021-01644-5 (2021)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
“Changing phenotype, early clinical course and clinical predictors of
inflammatory bowel disease in Sri Lanka: a retrospective, tertiary care-based,
multi-centre study.”
Version: 
0 
Date: 
01 Oct 2020
Reviewer's report:
1. As this study is retrospective it should me mentioned in the title
2. Definitions used in this study are not correct. Authors separately analysed
complicated disease and disease complications as if they are different. Extensive
colitis or pancolitis is endoscopic finding and presence of this finding is
considered as complicated disease course. 
3. Disease duration less than 3 years was used as definition of early disease.
There is no single consensus definition for early disease. 
4. In the results section line number 13 it was mentioned that patients were
diagnosed between 1983-2016. Probably typo error. 
5. Definition of treatment refractory disease is vague and not clear. 
6. Among the clinical predictors it was not mentioned whether multivariable
analysis was used or univariable analysis.
7. One of the predictors was severe disease at presentation. it was not mentioned
how severity assessed in CD and UC, and what scores were used. 
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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
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Yes
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Yes
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from apparent manipulation?
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