Reviewer ’s report  
Title:  An Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Constipat ion:a Right Attitude Towards to 
Guidelines  
 
Version:  0 Date:  03 Sep 2015  
 
Reviewer:  Askin  Erdogan  
 
Reviewer's report:  
Dear Editor,  
I have revised the paper "An App raisal of Clinical Guidelines for Constipation: a Right Attitude 
Towards to Guidelines" and I have some suggestions regarding the paper as listed below.  
 
Yours sincerely,  
 
Abstract  
1. The sentence needs to be corrected so as to not start with "And" "And on ly 5 (23.81) 
guidelines reported methodological expertise were in guideline developing teams."  
 
Introduction  
1. Please remove 1 full stop at the end of the 3rd paragraph that is excess.  
2. Please give the exact full names before the abbreviations such as "CPGs" at the first place you 
state.  
 
Materials and Methods  
 
Data Searching  
1. It is stated in the text that the authors searched the database with no restriction on language 
in this sect ion. However in the "Selections of Guidelines section" the authors state on the 
3rd item that the language was restricted to English and Chinese only in the inclusion 
criteria. The authors already state this a limitation of paper that they did not cover 
guidelines in other languages.The authors will either need to state in "Selections of 
Guidelines section" that they restrict language to English and Chinese or perhaps they 
should only focus on English language and remove study in Chinese to be fair. This st ill 
needs to be mentioned as a limitation.  
2. Please give full names before abbreviations throughout text at the first place they are 
given.  
3. "Clarity of presentation" should be "Clarity and presentation."  
 
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 comments 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 wha t 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 c omplete 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 publication o f 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 currently ap plying 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 give details below.  
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
I agree to the ope n 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://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded 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:  An Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Constipat ion:a Right Attitude Towards to 
Guidelines  
 
Version:  0 Date:  03 Sep 2015  
 
Reviewer:  Askin  Erdogan  
 
Reviewer's report:  
Dear Editor,  
I have revised the paper "An App raisal of Clinical Guidelines for Constipation: a Right Attitude 
Towards to Guidelines" and I have some suggestions regarding the paper as listed below.  
 
Yours sincerely,  
 
Abstract  
1. The sentence needs to be corrected so as to not start with "And" "And on ly 5 (23.81) 
guidelines reported methodological expertise were in guideline developing teams."  
 
Introduction  
1. Please remove 1 full stop at the end of the 3rd paragraph that is excess.  
2. Please give the exact full names before the abbreviations such as "CPGs" at the first place you 
state.  
 
Materials and Methods  
 
Data Searching  
1. It is stated in the text that the authors searched the database with no restriction on language 
in this sect ion. However in the "Selections of Guidelines section" the authors state on the 
3rd item that the language was restricted to English and Chinese only in the inclusion 
criteria. The authors already state this a limitation of paper that they did not cover 
guidelines in other languages.The authors will either need to state in "Selections of 
Guidelines section" that they restrict language to English and Chinese or perhaps they 
should only focus on English language and remove study in Chinese to be fair. This st ill 
needs to be mentioned as a limitation.  
2. Please give full names before abbreviations throughout text at the first place they are 
given.  
3. "Clarity of presentation" should be "Clarity and presentation."  
 
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 comments 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 wha t 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 c omplete 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 publication o f 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 currently ap plying 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 give details below.  
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
I agree to the ope n 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://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded 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:  An Appraisal of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Constipat ion:a Right Attitude Towards to 
Guidelines  
 
Version:  0 Date:  03 Sep 2015  
 
Reviewer:  Askin  Erdogan  
 
Reviewer's report:  
Dear Editor,  
I have revised the paper "An App raisal of Clinical Guidelines for Constipation: a Right Attitude 
Towards to Guidelines" and I have some suggestions regarding the paper as listed below.  
 
Yours sincerely,  
 
Abstract  
1. The sentence needs to be corrected so as to not start with "And" "And on ly 5 (23.81) 
guidelines reported methodological expertise were in guideline developing teams."  
 
Introduction  
1. Please remove 1 full stop at the end of the 3rd paragraph that is excess.  
2. Please give the exact full names before the abbreviations such as "CPGs" at the first place you 
state.  
 
Materials and Methods  
 
Data Searching  
1. It is stated in the text that the authors searched the database with no restriction on language 
in this sect ion. However in the "Selections of Guidelines section" the authors state on the 
3rd item that the language was restricted to English and Chinese only in the inclusion 
criteria. The authors already state this a limitation of paper that they did not cover 
guidelines in other languages.The authors will either need to state in "Selections of 
Guidelines section" that they restrict language to English and Chinese or perhaps they 
should only focus on English language and remove study in Chinese to be fair. This st ill 
needs to be mentioned as a limitation.  
2. Please give full names before abbreviations throughout text at the first place they are 
given.  
3. "Clarity of presentation" should be "Clarity and presentation."  
 
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 comments 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 wha t 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 c omplete 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 publication o f 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 currently ap plying 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 give details below.  
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
I agree to the ope n 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://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant