Reviewer's report
Title:High dose multiple micronutrient supplementation improves villous
morphology in environmental enteropathy without HIV enteropathy: results from a
double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial in Zambian adults.
Version:1Date:31 October 2013
Reviewer: Andrew Veitch
Reviewer's report:
The study is of interest, and important in stimulating further research into tropical
enteropathy which is ubiquitous in sub-Saharan Africa. The morphological
changes in the small bowel following MM supplementation are statistically
significant although their biological significance warrants further study. This study
is limited by small numbers and the fact that the data has been gleaned from
another study with the intention to examine the effect of vaccines rather than
micronutrient supplementation. The main weakness of this study is a lack of a
baseline jejunal biopsy prior to randomization to MM supplementation or placebo.
The effect of MM supplementation is therefore inferred rather than directly
measured over a period of time. These limitations and their effect are discussed
appropriately in the discussion. Statistical methods are appropriate, though
confidence intervals are wide as would be expected with small numbers.
The study does however add positively to the literature, and is worthy of
publication.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
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:High dose multiple micronutrient supplementation improves villous
morphology in environmental enteropathy without HIV enteropathy: results from a
double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial in Zambian adults.
Version:1Date:31 October 2013
Reviewer: Andrew Veitch
Reviewer's report:
The study is of interest, and important in stimulating further research into tropical
enteropathy which is ubiquitous in sub-Saharan Africa. The morphological
changes in the small bowel following MM supplementation are statistically
significant although their biological significance warrants further study. This study
is limited by small numbers and the fact that the data has been gleaned from
another study with the intention to examine the effect of vaccines rather than
micronutrient supplementation. The main weakness of this study is a lack of a
baseline jejunal biopsy prior to randomization to MM supplementation or placebo.
The effect of MM supplementation is therefore inferred rather than directly
measured over a period of time. These limitations and their effect are discussed
appropriately in the discussion. Statistical methods are appropriate, though
confidence intervals are wide as would be expected with small numbers.
The study does however add positively to the literature, and is worthy of
publication.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
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:High dose multiple micronutrient supplementation improves villous
morphology in environmental enteropathy without HIV enteropathy: results from a
double-blind randomised placebo controlled trial in Zambian adults.
Version:1Date:31 October 2013
Reviewer: Andrew Veitch
Reviewer's report:
The study is of interest, and important in stimulating further research into tropical
enteropathy which is ubiquitous in sub-Saharan Africa. The morphological
changes in the small bowel following MM supplementation are statistically
significant although their biological significance warrants further study. This study
is limited by small numbers and the fact that the data has been gleaned from
another study with the intention to examine the effect of vaccines rather than
micronutrient supplementation. The main weakness of this study is a lack of a
baseline jejunal biopsy prior to randomization to MM supplementation or placebo.
The effect of MM supplementation is therefore inferred rather than directly
measured over a period of time. These limitations and their effect are discussed
appropriately in the discussion. Statistical methods are appropriate, though
confidence intervals are wide as would be expected with small numbers.
The study does however add positively to the literature, and is worthy of
publication.
Level of interest: An article of importance in its field
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: Yes, and I have assessed the statistics in my report.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
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