Review for 10.1186/s12876-020-01297-w (2020)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Probiotics use for antibiotic -associated diarrhea: a pragma tic participatory evaluation in 
nursing homes  
 
Version: 0 Date: 14 Dec 2019  
 
Reviewer: Ener Cagri Dinleyici  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Prevent ion of antibiotic associated diarrhea is the major indications with selected probiotic 
strains among children and adults. For grading and recommendations, randomized controlled 
clinical trials have been preferred, however, in vulnerable populations and spe cific conditions, 
this kind of intervention (prgamatic participatory evaluation) would be helpful the effects of 
probiotics. For this reason this study would be helpful for the potential readers.  
 
Minor points:  
 
1- Authors could prefer to use "multispecies probiotics" term instad of orginal brand name in the 
Abstract and need to add the 9 strains names. (Please dont use abbreviations for strains as B. 
longum etc.). All strains names should be shown in text as Ital ics. 
 
2- No need to use statistical terminology like Chi Square in the Results section, you can add your 
all statistical tests in Methods section. I prefer to use p &lt;0.05 instead of p=0.022, however 
authors need to decide this according to journal instru ctions.  
 
3- Last sentence of conclusion, ypou highlihhted that the beneficial effcets of probiotics among 
residents with somatic and psychogenetic conditions. You did not define this conditions into the 
text. (maybe exclude this definition)  
 
4- In Methods section, you need define "Antibiotic Associated Diarrhea" and also "diarrhea". 
You prefer to use Bristol stool chart for this? Ypu noted antibiotic associated diarrhea during 
antiibotic use, during probiotic use or  8 weeks period of antiibotic presciripti on. 
 
5- For probiotics definition you prefer to use 2 reference, 6 and 7, number 6 is ok, new definition 
of ISAPP, and I think that authors can remove number 7 (published in 1991)  
 
6- I think that Refernce number 18 need to be removed, for the definition o f classical Chi -square 
test, no need to use reference from 1930s.  
 
7- In the Results section, at first paragraph authors use 3 different reference, this part should be 
added to the Methods section, beacuse of includes some details about the settings and pr ocedure.  
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments  to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comme nts to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical 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 years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the public ation of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat 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 curre ntly applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, 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 you 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 g ive details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interest.  
 
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