Review for 10.1186/s12876-022-02578-2 (2022)

Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Multimorbidity among Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients in a Tertiary
Care Center: A Retrospective Study
Version: 
2 
Date: 
17 Apr 2022
Reviewer's report:
- Tittle and abstract: The authors indicated the study's design in the title.
- Introduction: The authors describe why the study was done and what questions
and hypotheses it addresses. 
- Objectives: The authors described specific objectives but there some concerns
about the main secondary outcome. Only associations tests (Quisquare, T test or
Mann Whitney) were performed. Those tests couldn't explore the impact of
multimorbidity on disease outcome, but only the association between the
variables. To obtain this outcome a logistic regression should be made. This
objetive should be better driscribed.
- Methods: The authors described the population and the point in time at which
the cross-section was taken but some concerns should be taken in consideration:
Despite the authors described the inclusions criteria, there wasn´t any
information about exclusion criteria and time period used for date collection.
- Results - There are some errors in table 4 : total number of colorectal
cancer/anal malignant neoplasms 
and viral hepatitis and their distributing groups
(6, 4x4 ; 4, 2x0).
- The authors describe the relationships between multimorbidity and many
variables, but Table 5 did not adequately present the result. A contingency table
should be used to show the statistical analysis properly. The author also should
change p value from 0.000 to p value < 0.001. 
- Discussion - Although multimorbidity in patients with IBD and thrombosis
were statistically associated, this association may be biased due to lack of
knowledge of medications used. Medications used to treat IBD could be
influencing the higher rates of thrombosis, as well as the occurrence of DM. 
- The authors don't explain the association between age of diagnosis and
multimorbidity properly.
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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?
No
Is the use of statistics and treatment of uncertainties appropriate?
No
Is the presentation of the work clear?
Yes
Are the images in this manuscript (including electrophoretic gels and blots) free
from apparent manipulation?
Yes