Review for 10.1186/s12876-019-1010-4 (2019)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Fecal microbiota transplantation for ulcerative colitis: a prospective clinical study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 08 Feb 2019  
 
Reviewer: Xiaofei Sun  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This manuscript aims to study the effects of fecal transplantation on disease alleviation in UC. 
To answer this question, clinical indices and intestinal flora were detected. The authors made 
conclusion that fecal  transplantation could improve the abundance of microbiota and alleviate the 
clinical indices. Although the topic of this study is interesting, the manuscript does need some 
work before it can be considered for publication.  
1. Figure 1 What is the vertica l section and staining of intestinal samples.  
 
2. Figure 1 neutrophil staining could provide better indication for infiltration.  
 
3. Summarize a Table to put all baseline characteristics of donors and recipients, such as 
inflammatory markers, diet, duratio n of disease, gender, age, etc.  
 
4. Figure 3, 5, 6 show the data after first and second treatment. How about the corresponding 
data after fifth treatment?  
 
5. How long will beneficial effects of FMT last? Will the remission last for more than one year?  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your commen ts to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
  
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional s tatistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five yea rs received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, fundin g, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If yo u can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I u nderstand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my repor t to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the e ditors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal