Reviewer's report
Title:A magic pill? A qualitative analysis of patients' views on the role of
antidepressant therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Version: 1Date:5 March 2012
Reviewer: Pali Hungin
Reviewer's report:
This is a useful paper as it ascertains the views of patients with IBD already on
antidepressant therapy. The authors chose to use a random selection of patients
in this category. Whilst at first sight the sample size appears small the
justification is that sufficient data (saturation) will have been attained from this
group. Much useful information has been gained about the attitudes and
perceptions of these patients.
The challenges are that there was no comparator group – i.e., it would have been
useful to know what the views and attitudes were of patients not yet on
antidepressant therapy – for clinicians the real difficulty is in persuading patients
to commence such treatment because of the psychological connotations.
Secondly, we do not know whether this group was indeed suffering from an
anxiety or depression related disorder prior to treatment and whether the
improved mentioned by so many of the sufferers related to that or to the IBD
itself. Although the paper is primarily concerned with patients’ views it does
contain an element of IBD outcomes and indeed, of overall QoL. These might
have been evaluated using already available, validated instruments. This, there
is a mix of factors which makes it difficult to recognise whether antidepressant
therapy is appropriate for all, some or a selected group of people with IBD. The
research , therefore, falls short of assisting clinicians in their decision making
about using antidepressant therapy in IBD sufferers although it does confirm that
in this particular group there was good, overall satisfaction.
Despite this the paper does make a contribution to our knowledge – perhaps the
limitations could be more clearly recognised – my sense is that many patients
outright refuse such treatment and that there should be a clearer, rationalised
basis for considering such treatment, including an assessment of psychological
status. A post- treatment analysis without comparators. whilst interesting, is of
limited value.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
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 magic pill? A qualitative analysis of patients' views on the role of
antidepressant therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Version: 1Date:5 March 2012
Reviewer: Pali Hungin
Reviewer's report:
This is a useful paper as it ascertains the views of patients with IBD already on
antidepressant therapy. The authors chose to use a random selection of patients
in this category. Whilst at first sight the sample size appears small the
justification is that sufficient data (saturation) will have been attained from this
group. Much useful information has been gained about the attitudes and
perceptions of these patients.
The challenges are that there was no comparator group – i.e., it would have been
useful to know what the views and attitudes were of patients not yet on
antidepressant therapy – for clinicians the real difficulty is in persuading patients
to commence such treatment because of the psychological connotations.
Secondly, we do not know whether this group was indeed suffering from an
anxiety or depression related disorder prior to treatment and whether the
improved mentioned by so many of the sufferers related to that or to the IBD
itself. Although the paper is primarily concerned with patients’ views it does
contain an element of IBD outcomes and indeed, of overall QoL. These might
have been evaluated using already available, validated instruments. This, there
is a mix of factors which makes it difficult to recognise whether antidepressant
therapy is appropriate for all, some or a selected group of people with IBD. The
research , therefore, falls short of assisting clinicians in their decision making
about using antidepressant therapy in IBD sufferers although it does confirm that
in this particular group there was good, overall satisfaction.
Despite this the paper does make a contribution to our knowledge – perhaps the
limitations could be more clearly recognised – my sense is that many patients
outright refuse such treatment and that there should be a clearer, rationalised
basis for considering such treatment, including an assessment of psychological
status. A post- treatment analysis without comparators. whilst interesting, is of
limited value.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
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 magic pill? A qualitative analysis of patients' views on the role of
antidepressant therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Version: 1Date:5 March 2012
Reviewer: Pali Hungin
Reviewer's report:
This is a useful paper as it ascertains the views of patients with IBD already on
antidepressant therapy. The authors chose to use a random selection of patients
in this category. Whilst at first sight the sample size appears small the
justification is that sufficient data (saturation) will have been attained from this
group. Much useful information has been gained about the attitudes and
perceptions of these patients.
The challenges are that there was no comparator group – i.e., it would have been
useful to know what the views and attitudes were of patients not yet on
antidepressant therapy – for clinicians the real difficulty is in persuading patients
to commence such treatment because of the psychological connotations.
Secondly, we do not know whether this group was indeed suffering from an
anxiety or depression related disorder prior to treatment and whether the
improved mentioned by so many of the sufferers related to that or to the IBD
itself. Although the paper is primarily concerned with patients’ views it does
contain an element of IBD outcomes and indeed, of overall QoL. These might
have been evaluated using already available, validated instruments. This, there
is a mix of factors which makes it difficult to recognise whether antidepressant
therapy is appropriate for all, some or a selected group of people with IBD. The
research , therefore, falls short of assisting clinicians in their decision making
about using antidepressant therapy in IBD sufferers although it does confirm that
in this particular group there was good, overall satisfaction.
Despite this the paper does make a contribution to our knowledge – perhaps the
limitations could be more clearly recognised – my sense is that many patients
outright refuse such treatment and that there should be a clearer, rationalised
basis for considering such treatment, including an assessment of psychological
status. A post- treatment analysis without comparators. whilst interesting, is of
limited value.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited
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
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