Reviewer's report
Title:Prevalence and severity of antipsychotic related constipation in patients
with schizophrenia: a retrospective descriptive study.
Version: 1Date:30 September 2010
Reviewer: Stefan A Mueller-Lissner
Reviewer's report:
This is a retrospective study in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs
evaluating the incidence (or prevalence?) of constipation. The gain in knowledge
by this analysis does not exceed what is already known, e.g. by the recent review
of the authors (reference 7).
Major Compulsory Revisions
o The methodology is questionable in several aspects.
o There is no definition of constipation except for being treated with a laxative
irrespective of dose, frequency, and duration.
o Implicitly a definition is made by stool filling of the colon in patients undergoing
GI evaluation, but this has not been done systematically.
o What was the definition of laxative intake? Was one dose during the entire
treatment period sufficient to classify the patient as constipated?
o Information on the frequency of constipation prior to being treated with
antipsychotics is lacking.
o Since the majority of the population under study was not treated with laxatives
a case control regarding type and dose of antipsychotics could have been done.
o Was there a dose-relationship between laxatives and antipsychotics?
o Results. The entire observation period was approximately 660 days. The mean
duration of admission is given as 472 +- 1,073 days. If the latter is one thousand
and seventy three than the data is not normally distributed (irrespective whether
SD or SE are given). Hence medians and ranges are appropriate.
o Results, last paragraph. Diagnosis of constipation using plain abdominal x-rays
has not been established (unless transit is measured).
Minor essential revisions
o Introduction, 4th paragraph. The 40,000 USD refer to which country? Or is it
worldwide?
o Both figures may be dropped.
o The English needs improvement.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Reviewer's report
Title:Prevalence and severity of antipsychotic related constipation in patients
with schizophrenia: a retrospective descriptive study.
Version: 1Date:30 September 2010
Reviewer: Stefan A Mueller-Lissner
Reviewer's report:
This is a retrospective study in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs
evaluating the incidence (or prevalence?) of constipation. The gain in knowledge
by this analysis does not exceed what is already known, e.g. by the recent review
of the authors (reference 7).
Major Compulsory Revisions
o The methodology is questionable in several aspects.
o There is no definition of constipation except for being treated with a laxative
irrespective of dose, frequency, and duration.
o Implicitly a definition is made by stool filling of the colon in patients undergoing
GI evaluation, but this has not been done systematically.
o What was the definition of laxative intake? Was one dose during the entire
treatment period sufficient to classify the patient as constipated?
o Information on the frequency of constipation prior to being treated with
antipsychotics is lacking.
o Since the majority of the population under study was not treated with laxatives
a case control regarding type and dose of antipsychotics could have been done.
o Was there a dose-relationship between laxatives and antipsychotics?
o Results. The entire observation period was approximately 660 days. The mean
duration of admission is given as 472 +- 1,073 days. If the latter is one thousand
and seventy three than the data is not normally distributed (irrespective whether
SD or SE are given). Hence medians and ranges are appropriate.
o Results, last paragraph. Diagnosis of constipation using plain abdominal x-rays
has not been established (unless transit is measured).
Minor essential revisions
o Introduction, 4th paragraph. The 40,000 USD refer to which country? Or is it
worldwide?
o Both figures may be dropped.
o The English needs improvement.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Prevalence and severity of antipsychotic related constipation in patients
with schizophrenia: a retrospective descriptive study.
Version: 1Date:30 September 2010
Reviewer: Stefan A Mueller-Lissner
Reviewer's report:
This is a retrospective study in patients treated with antipsychotic drugs
evaluating the incidence (or prevalence?) of constipation. The gain in knowledge
by this analysis does not exceed what is already known, e.g. by the recent review
of the authors (reference 7).
Major Compulsory Revisions
o The methodology is questionable in several aspects.
o There is no definition of constipation except for being treated with a laxative
irrespective of dose, frequency, and duration.
o Implicitly a definition is made by stool filling of the colon in patients undergoing
GI evaluation, but this has not been done systematically.
o What was the definition of laxative intake? Was one dose during the entire
treatment period sufficient to classify the patient as constipated?
o Information on the frequency of constipation prior to being treated with
antipsychotics is lacking.
o Since the majority of the population under study was not treated with laxatives
a case control regarding type and dose of antipsychotics could have been done.
o Was there a dose-relationship between laxatives and antipsychotics?
o Results. The entire observation period was approximately 660 days. The mean
duration of admission is given as 472 +- 1,073 days. If the latter is one thousand
and seventy three than the data is not normally distributed (irrespective whether
SD or SE are given). Hence medians and ranges are appropriate.
o Results, last paragraph. Diagnosis of constipation using plain abdominal x-rays
has not been established (unless transit is measured).
Minor essential revisions
o Introduction, 4th paragraph. The 40,000 USD refer to which country? Or is it
worldwide?
o Both figures may be dropped.
o The English needs improvement.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Needs some language corrections before being
published
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
assistant