Review for 10.1186/s12876-021-01650-7 (2021)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
High infliximab trough concentrations are associated with sustained
histologic remission in inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective cohort study
Version: 
0 
Date: 
02 Jan 2021
Reviewer's report:
This is an interesting observational study which aims to explore the dose
response relationship of infliximab towards a highly ambitious target that is the
histological remission and the sustained histological remission. Strengths of the
article are the longitudinal nature of the study and the incremental gain analysis,
weaknesses the combined analysis of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and
the lack of use of histological scores for defining histological remission.
However, these limitations have been recognized by the authors.
Furthermore:
1. The authors say that among their 104 patients, 78 were on high-dose
infliximab maintenance at time of enrollment, and 37 required dose escalation
during the study. This suggests that all the studied patients were on high-dose
maintenance. This is quite unusual and should be commented.
Minor point:
2. Ref. 3 is incomplete
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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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