Reviewer's report
Title:A nationwide population-based study of the inflammatory bowel diseases
between 1998 and 2008 in Taiwan
Version: 1Date:25 August 2013
Reviewer: Siew Ng
Reviewer's report:
By using a nationwide registration system in Taiwan, the authors have shown the
incidence and prevalence of IBD in Taiwan and further demonstrated a rise in
incidence and prevalence from 1998 to 2008. These are one of the first few data
nationwide emerging from Taiwan and showed consistent trend with that of
studies from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Unlike in the West, there are very
few countries in Asia with the exception of Japan and Taiwan that have
nationwide registry system. These data are important and will contribute to our
knowledge on the epidemiology of IBD in Asia, which until recently have been
lacking.
Major Compulsory Revisions
None
Minor Essential Revisions
Although their data are timely, the paper will carry more weight if they were to
discuss their data in context of the recently published large scale
population-based epidemiologic study across nine countries in Asia-Pacific
showing geographic variability in disease incidence even within Asia (Ng et al.
Gastroenterology 2013). Taiwan appeared to have disease incidence that is
lower than Hong Kong, some parts of Mainland China, and Macau, relatively
similar to that of Malaysia and Sri Lanka, but higher than that of Thailand and
Indonesia. One may speculate that different degree of
urbanization/socioeconomic status may play a part to the variation. UC is also
more common in Taiwan.
I think it would be worth discussing the magnitude of this incomplete capture, ie
the true patient load versus registered patient number, is there anyway of having
an estimation of the proportion not registered relative to this study.
Do the data represent crude annual incidence or age-standardized incidence
based on WHO criteria?
Are disease phenotypes captured within the registry – it would be interesting to
compare disease behaviour and severity with other Asian countries and the
West. Especially since the authors have shown a higher standardized mortality
rate compared with the general population for Crohn’s disease and the
West/Japan. It is useful to speculate more on what could be the potential cause,
eg patients with co-morbidities and older age have increased mortality.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Reviewer's report
Title:A nationwide population-based study of the inflammatory bowel diseases
between 1998 and 2008 in Taiwan
Version: 1Date:25 August 2013
Reviewer: Siew Ng
Reviewer's report:
By using a nationwide registration system in Taiwan, the authors have shown the
incidence and prevalence of IBD in Taiwan and further demonstrated a rise in
incidence and prevalence from 1998 to 2008. These are one of the first few data
nationwide emerging from Taiwan and showed consistent trend with that of
studies from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Unlike in the West, there are very
few countries in Asia with the exception of Japan and Taiwan that have
nationwide registry system. These data are important and will contribute to our
knowledge on the epidemiology of IBD in Asia, which until recently have been
lacking.
Major Compulsory Revisions
None
Minor Essential Revisions
Although their data are timely, the paper will carry more weight if they were to
discuss their data in context of the recently published large scale
population-based epidemiologic study across nine countries in Asia-Pacific
showing geographic variability in disease incidence even within Asia (Ng et al.
Gastroenterology 2013). Taiwan appeared to have disease incidence that is
lower than Hong Kong, some parts of Mainland China, and Macau, relatively
similar to that of Malaysia and Sri Lanka, but higher than that of Thailand and
Indonesia. One may speculate that different degree of
urbanization/socioeconomic status may play a part to the variation. UC is also
more common in Taiwan.
I think it would be worth discussing the magnitude of this incomplete capture, ie
the true patient load versus registered patient number, is there anyway of having
an estimation of the proportion not registered relative to this study.
Do the data represent crude annual incidence or age-standardized incidence
based on WHO criteria?
Are disease phenotypes captured within the registry – it would be interesting to
compare disease behaviour and severity with other Asian countries and the
West. Especially since the authors have shown a higher standardized mortality
rate compared with the general population for Crohn’s disease and the
West/Japan. It is useful to speculate more on what could be the potential cause,
eg patients with co-morbidities and older age have increased mortality.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:A nationwide population-based study of the inflammatory bowel diseases
between 1998 and 2008 in Taiwan
Version: 1Date:25 August 2013
Reviewer: Siew Ng
Reviewer's report:
By using a nationwide registration system in Taiwan, the authors have shown the
incidence and prevalence of IBD in Taiwan and further demonstrated a rise in
incidence and prevalence from 1998 to 2008. These are one of the first few data
nationwide emerging from Taiwan and showed consistent trend with that of
studies from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Unlike in the West, there are very
few countries in Asia with the exception of Japan and Taiwan that have
nationwide registry system. These data are important and will contribute to our
knowledge on the epidemiology of IBD in Asia, which until recently have been
lacking.
Major Compulsory Revisions
None
Minor Essential Revisions
Although their data are timely, the paper will carry more weight if they were to
discuss their data in context of the recently published large scale
population-based epidemiologic study across nine countries in Asia-Pacific
showing geographic variability in disease incidence even within Asia (Ng et al.
Gastroenterology 2013). Taiwan appeared to have disease incidence that is
lower than Hong Kong, some parts of Mainland China, and Macau, relatively
similar to that of Malaysia and Sri Lanka, but higher than that of Thailand and
Indonesia. One may speculate that different degree of
urbanization/socioeconomic status may play a part to the variation. UC is also
more common in Taiwan.
I think it would be worth discussing the magnitude of this incomplete capture, ie
the true patient load versus registered patient number, is there anyway of having
an estimation of the proportion not registered relative to this study.
Do the data represent crude annual incidence or age-standardized incidence
based on WHO criteria?
Are disease phenotypes captured within the registry – it would be interesting to
compare disease behaviour and severity with other Asian countries and the
West. Especially since the authors have shown a higher standardized mortality
rate compared with the general population for Crohn’s disease and the
West/Japan. It is useful to speculate more on what could be the potential cause,
eg patients with co-morbidities and older age have increased mortality.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
'I declare that I have no competing interests'
assistant