Reviewer's report 
 The addition of locust bean gum but not water delayed the gastric emptying rate of a nutrient Title: 
semisolid meal in healthy subjects 
Authors: 
Dr Gassan Darwiche ( gassandarwiche@yahoo.com )
Ola Bjorgell ( ola.bjorgell@rontgen.mas.lu.se )
Lars-Olof Almer ( Lars-Olof.Almer@medforsk.mas.lu.se )
 2  21 Mar 2003 Version: Date: 
 M Bianchi Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have Advice on publication: 
responded to the compulsory revisions 
Compulsory revisions 
Abstract in conclusion and full text in discussion: 
When " the results might be important..... functional dyspepsia". 
I don't agree with the conclusions because too wide. The study explore a physiologic response of Gastric motility to a specific and limited kind of meal on healthy volunteers. The authors must 
explain how the study results could add knowledge to the treatment of disordered gastric function 
disorders, including functional dyspepsia and even gastroparesis. 
Full text in measurement of gastric emptying rate and in results: 
The method to calculate gastric emptying rate is considered standardised by authors but I didn't find 
in literature a validation of it with a gold standard such as radioscintigraphy. It would be better to 
express results not only in gastric emptying rate but also in validated variables such as half emptying 
time or total emptying time. Otherwise if the method had been validated you need only to report a 
reference. 
Full text in discussion: 
When :" even if no satiety measurements were carried out ......hunger more rapidly in healthy 
subjects" 
It is not useful to comment data not reported in the results. 
Discretionary revisions 
Abstract in results: 
Though in the full text is explained the meaning of q1 and q3 it would be better to do it also in the 
abstract . 
Full text in introduction and in discussion: 
When: "The addition of viscous ..... have been found to reduce the gastric emptying rate" 
This issue is not evidence based since there are several study that don't confirm this finding . This is 
more evident when low fibre dose are added to a meal like the present study. 
Full text in statistical analysis: 
In general I don't agree with the choice of expressing results in quartiles, this is not a wide population 
study. 
Full text in discussion: 
When:" Previously it has been claimed ...... Similarly , one could expect that the influence of............decreases meal viscosity" 
Need some reference to support the theory of duodenal feedback controlling. 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
Reviewer's report 
 The addition of locust bean gum but not water delayed the gastric emptying rate of a nutrient Title: 
semisolid meal in healthy subjects 
Authors: 
Dr Gassan Darwiche ( gassandarwiche@yahoo.com )
Ola Bjorgell ( ola.bjorgell@rontgen.mas.lu.se )
Lars-Olof Almer ( Lars-Olof.Almer@medforsk.mas.lu.se )
 2  21 Mar 2003 Version: Date: 
 M Bianchi Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have Advice on publication: 
responded to the compulsory revisions 
Compulsory revisions 
Abstract in conclusion and full text in discussion: 
When " the results might be important..... functional dyspepsia". 
I don't agree with the conclusions because too wide. The study explore a physiologic response of Gastric motility to a specific and limited kind of meal on healthy volunteers. The authors must 
explain how the study results could add knowledge to the treatment of disordered gastric function 
disorders, including functional dyspepsia and even gastroparesis. 
Full text in measurement of gastric emptying rate and in results: 
The method to calculate gastric emptying rate is considered standardised by authors but I didn't find 
in literature a validation of it with a gold standard such as radioscintigraphy. It would be better to 
express results not only in gastric emptying rate but also in validated variables such as half emptying 
time or total emptying time. Otherwise if the method had been validated you need only to report a 
reference. 
Full text in discussion: 
When :" even if no satiety measurements were carried out ......hunger more rapidly in healthy 
subjects" 
It is not useful to comment data not reported in the results. 
Discretionary revisions 
Abstract in results: 
Though in the full text is explained the meaning of q1 and q3 it would be better to do it also in the 
abstract . 
Full text in introduction and in discussion: 
When: "The addition of viscous ..... have been found to reduce the gastric emptying rate" 
This issue is not evidence based since there are several study that don't confirm this finding . This is 
more evident when low fibre dose are added to a meal like the present study. 
Full text in statistical analysis: 
In general I don't agree with the choice of expressing results in quartiles, this is not a wide population 
study. 
Full text in discussion: 
When:" Previously it has been claimed ...... Similarly , one could expect that the influence of............decreases meal viscosity" 
Need some reference to support the theory of duodenal feedback controlling. 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 The addition of locust bean gum but not water delayed the gastric emptying rate of a nutrient Title: 
semisolid meal in healthy subjects 
Authors: 
Dr Gassan Darwiche ( gassandarwiche@yahoo.com )
Ola Bjorgell ( ola.bjorgell@rontgen.mas.lu.se )
Lars-Olof Almer ( Lars-Olof.Almer@medforsk.mas.lu.se )
 2  21 Mar 2003 Version: Date: 
 M Bianchi Reviewer: 
 A paper of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have Advice on publication: 
responded to the compulsory revisions 
Compulsory revisions 
Abstract in conclusion and full text in discussion: 
When " the results might be important..... functional dyspepsia". 
I don't agree with the conclusions because too wide. The study explore a physiologic response of Gastric motility to a specific and limited kind of meal on healthy volunteers. The authors must 
explain how the study results could add knowledge to the treatment of disordered gastric function 
disorders, including functional dyspepsia and even gastroparesis. 
Full text in measurement of gastric emptying rate and in results: 
The method to calculate gastric emptying rate is considered standardised by authors but I didn't find 
in literature a validation of it with a gold standard such as radioscintigraphy. It would be better to 
express results not only in gastric emptying rate but also in validated variables such as half emptying 
time or total emptying time. Otherwise if the method had been validated you need only to report a 
reference. 
Full text in discussion: 
When :" even if no satiety measurements were carried out ......hunger more rapidly in healthy 
subjects" 
It is not useful to comment data not reported in the results. 
Discretionary revisions 
Abstract in results: 
Though in the full text is explained the meaning of q1 and q3 it would be better to do it also in the 
abstract . 
Full text in introduction and in discussion: 
When: "The addition of viscous ..... have been found to reduce the gastric emptying rate" 
This issue is not evidence based since there are several study that don't confirm this finding . This is 
more evident when low fibre dose are added to a meal like the present study. 
Full text in statistical analysis: 
In general I don't agree with the choice of expressing results in quartiles, this is not a wide population 
study. 
Full text in discussion: 
When:" Previously it has been claimed ...... Similarly , one could expect that the influence of............decreases meal viscosity" 
Need some reference to support the theory of duodenal feedback controlling. 
Competing interests: 
None declared. 
assistant