Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Fecal microbiota transplantation for ulcerative colitis: a prospective clinical study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 06 Feb 2019  
 
Reviewer: Holger Schäffler  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 
(IBD), however, prospective data are still lacking. Therefore, the study  by Yan Tian et al is of 
special interest, since they examine prospectively 20 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients undergoing 
FMT. As a result, FMT led to a significant decrease of diarrhea, abdominal pain and blood in the 
stool. Additionally, there was a sig nificant decrease in the Mayo score. They also showed that 
the microbial composition of the donors was different compared to the UC patients.  
 
However, I have some (minor) questions.  
1) The quality of the figures is low and should be improved.  
 
2) The authors state that stool was obtained from healthy volunteers. How many? Which patient 
received FMT from which donor? Did maybe the donor selection lead to a better outcome for 
the patient?  
 
3) The 20 UC patients should be better characterised clin ically (previous treatment, duration of 
the disease, montreal classification).  
 
4) The manuscript needs minor language editing.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your commen ts to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
  
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 s tatistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what 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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five yea rs received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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 applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, fundin g, 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 yo u 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 open peer review policy of the journal. I u nderstand 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 repor t 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 included as confidential comments  
to the e ditors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Fecal microbiota transplantation for ulcerative colitis: a prospective clinical study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 06 Feb 2019  
 
Reviewer: Holger Schäffler  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 
(IBD), however, prospective data are still lacking. Therefore, the study  by Yan Tian et al is of 
special interest, since they examine prospectively 20 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients undergoing 
FMT. As a result, FMT led to a significant decrease of diarrhea, abdominal pain and blood in the 
stool. Additionally, there was a sig nificant decrease in the Mayo score. They also showed that 
the microbial composition of the donors was different compared to the UC patients.  
 
However, I have some (minor) questions.  
1) The quality of the figures is low and should be improved.  
 
2) The authors state that stool was obtained from healthy volunteers. How many? Which patient 
received FMT from which donor? Did maybe the donor selection lead to a better outcome for 
the patient?  
 
3) The 20 UC patients should be better characterised clin ically (previous treatment, duration of 
the disease, montreal classification).  
 
4) The manuscript needs minor language editing.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your commen ts to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
  
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 s tatistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what 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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five yea rs received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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 applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, fundin g, 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 yo u 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 open peer review policy of the journal. I u nderstand 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 repor t 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 included as confidential comments  
to the e ditors, 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: Fecal microbiota transplantation for ulcerative colitis: a prospective clinical study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 06 Feb 2019  
 
Reviewer: Holger Schäffler  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 
(IBD), however, prospective data are still lacking. Therefore, the study  by Yan Tian et al is of 
special interest, since they examine prospectively 20 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients undergoing 
FMT. As a result, FMT led to a significant decrease of diarrhea, abdominal pain and blood in the 
stool. Additionally, there was a sig nificant decrease in the Mayo score. They also showed that 
the microbial composition of the donors was different compared to the UC patients.  
 
However, I have some (minor) questions.  
1) The quality of the figures is low and should be improved.  
 
2) The authors state that stool was obtained from healthy volunteers. How many? Which patient 
received FMT from which donor? Did maybe the donor selection lead to a better outcome for 
the patient?  
 
3) The 20 UC patients should be better characterised clin ically (previous treatment, duration of 
the disease, montreal classification).  
 
4) The manuscript needs minor language editing.  
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your commen ts to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
  
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 s tatistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what 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:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five yea rs received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that 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 applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, fundin g, 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 yo u 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 open peer review policy of the journal. I u nderstand 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 repor t 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 included as confidential comments  
to the e ditors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal  
assistant