Reviewer's report
Title:How does comorbidity affect cost of health care in patients with irritable
bowel syndrome? A cohort study in general practice
Version: 1Date:30 November 2009
Reviewer: Pierre Pare
Reviewer's report:
This is a well conducted study with adequate analysis of the data recorded by
appropriate measures.
1. No major or minor comments.
2. Discretionary revisions:
a. Material and methods: Criteria for inclusion into the study deserve clarity. 208
Rome II defined patients confirmed by clinical diagnosis were invited to
participate. It should be clear that the remaining of 733 assessed patients were
or not IBS patients based on Rome II criteria. If so do the demographics of these
patients differ from the study group and why were they not invited to participate?
b. Discussion: Since a contral group with non IBS related chronic health
conditions was not assessed, the discussion should expand more, based on
available literature, on comparison with such groups. Although it is clear that this
cohort of general practice IBS patients drives more cost from comorbidity than
from IBS itself, this may not be unique to this chronic condition since illness
behaviour is also a feature of several health conditions.
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. In the past five years, I have
received support and funding by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation for
conducting IBS studies.
Reviewer's report
Title:How does comorbidity affect cost of health care in patients with irritable
bowel syndrome? A cohort study in general practice
Version: 1Date:30 November 2009
Reviewer: Pierre Pare
Reviewer's report:
This is a well conducted study with adequate analysis of the data recorded by
appropriate measures.
1. No major or minor comments.
2. Discretionary revisions:
a. Material and methods: Criteria for inclusion into the study deserve clarity. 208
Rome II defined patients confirmed by clinical diagnosis were invited to
participate. It should be clear that the remaining of 733 assessed patients were
or not IBS patients based on Rome II criteria. If so do the demographics of these
patients differ from the study group and why were they not invited to participate?
b. Discussion: Since a contral group with non IBS related chronic health
conditions was not assessed, the discussion should expand more, based on
available literature, on comparison with such groups. Although it is clear that this
cohort of general practice IBS patients drives more cost from comorbidity than
from IBS itself, this may not be unique to this chronic condition since illness
behaviour is also a feature of several health conditions.
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. In the past five years, I have
received support and funding by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation for
conducting IBS studies.
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:How does comorbidity affect cost of health care in patients with irritable
bowel syndrome? A cohort study in general practice
Version: 1Date:30 November 2009
Reviewer: Pierre Pare
Reviewer's report:
This is a well conducted study with adequate analysis of the data recorded by
appropriate measures.
1. No major or minor comments.
2. Discretionary revisions:
a. Material and methods: Criteria for inclusion into the study deserve clarity. 208
Rome II defined patients confirmed by clinical diagnosis were invited to
participate. It should be clear that the remaining of 733 assessed patients were
or not IBS patients based on Rome II criteria. If so do the demographics of these
patients differ from the study group and why were they not invited to participate?
b. Discussion: Since a contral group with non IBS related chronic health
conditions was not assessed, the discussion should expand more, based on
available literature, on comparison with such groups. Although it is clear that this
cohort of general practice IBS patients drives more cost from comorbidity than
from IBS itself, this may not be unique to this chronic condition since illness
behaviour is also a feature of several health conditions.
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. In the past five years, I have
received support and funding by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation for
conducting IBS studies.
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