Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Helicobacter pylori prevalence and clinical significance in patients with quiescent Crohn's  
disease  
 
Version: 0 Date: 22 Aug 2016  
 
Reviewer: Sinead Smith  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This paper investigated the prevalence of HP infection in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease 
and assessed the impact of HP eradication on disease a ctivity (endoscopic and laboratory 
measures).  The rationale and concept for this study are of interest.  It is interesting that the 
prevalence of HP infection among the study population is low (10.7%).   
 
 
 
 
Major comment:  
 
However, the conclusions of the stu dy in relation to the impact of HP eradication on disease 
activity are greatly limited by the very small number of HP -positive patients that were analysed 
(N=6).  
 
 
 
 
Minor comments:  
 
 
The authors should provide the rationale for using the stool antigen kit for HP diagnosis and 
comment on the sensitivity and specificity of the kit used in the study.  
 
The authors should provide the rationale for using sequential therapy for HP eradication.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the me thods 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 comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statisti cal 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, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gai n 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 fu ture?  
 
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, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content o f 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 give details below.  
 
I declare that I  have no competing interests  
  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand 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 report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativ ecommons.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 editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Helicobacter pylori prevalence and clinical significance in patients with quiescent Crohn's  
disease  
 
Version: 0 Date: 22 Aug 2016  
 
Reviewer: Sinead Smith  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This paper investigated the prevalence of HP infection in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease 
and assessed the impact of HP eradication on disease a ctivity (endoscopic and laboratory 
measures).  The rationale and concept for this study are of interest.  It is interesting that the 
prevalence of HP infection among the study population is low (10.7%).   
 
 
 
 
Major comment:  
 
However, the conclusions of the stu dy in relation to the impact of HP eradication on disease 
activity are greatly limited by the very small number of HP -positive patients that were analysed 
(N=6).  
 
 
 
 
Minor comments:  
 
 
The authors should provide the rationale for using the stool antigen kit for HP diagnosis and 
comment on the sensitivity and specificity of the kit used in the study.  
 
The authors should provide the rationale for using sequential therapy for HP eradication.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the me thods 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 comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statisti cal 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, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gai n 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 fu ture?  
 
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, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content o f 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 give details below.  
 
I declare that I  have no competing interests  
  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand 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 report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativ ecommons.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 editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Helicobacter pylori prevalence and clinical significance in patients with quiescent Crohn's  
disease  
 
Version: 0 Date: 22 Aug 2016  
 
Reviewer: Sinead Smith  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This paper investigated the prevalence of HP infection in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease 
and assessed the impact of HP eradication on disease a ctivity (endoscopic and laboratory 
measures).  The rationale and concept for this study are of interest.  It is interesting that the 
prevalence of HP infection among the study population is low (10.7%).   
 
 
 
 
Major comment:  
 
However, the conclusions of the stu dy in relation to the impact of HP eradication on disease 
activity are greatly limited by the very small number of HP -positive patients that were analysed 
(N=6).  
 
 
 
 
Minor comments:  
 
 
The authors should provide the rationale for using the stool antigen kit for HP diagnosis and 
comment on the sensitivity and specificity of the kit used in the study.  
 
The authors should provide the rationale for using sequential therapy for HP eradication.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Are the me thods 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 comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statisti cal 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, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gai n 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 fu ture?  
 
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, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content o f 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 give details below.  
 
I declare that I  have no competing interests  
  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand 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 report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativ ecommons.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 editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant