Reviewer’s report 
Title:  Faecal short-chain fatty acids - a diagnostic biom arker for irritable bowel syndrome? 
 
Version:  0 Date:  29 Oct 2015 
 
Reviewer:  Norman Ratcliffe 
 
Reviewer's report: 
The subject of the research is important as a signi ficant number of people are affected by IBS 
and it can result in poor quality of life and affec t the ability to work so effectively. As the 
authors say a better method of diagnoses would be v ery useful to clinicians. The paper is 
soundly written and the conclusions appear reasonab le. It would be interesting if the authors 
could comment more on diet and production of SCFAs and IBS. Plus was any dietary 
information taken from the volunteers? It is known that different carbohydrates for instance 
can change the SCFA ratios. Did the research take i nto account the effect of excessive alcohol 
taken by the volunteers or large amount of cigarett e smoking etc ie could the authors comments 
on whether there was a significant number of volunt eers who did indulge in one particular 
group only and that could skew the statistics. 
The writing is excellent, page 8 line 50 should be through. I recommend the paper should be 
published with extra information added on diet affe cts. 
Are the methods appropriate and well described? 
If not, please specify what is required in your com ments to the authors. 
Yes 
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 t he data shown? 
If not, please explain in your comments to the auth ors. 
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manusc ript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical 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 manu script: 
Acceptable 
Declaration of competing interests 
Please complete a declaration of competing interest s, considering the following questions: 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbur sements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose finan cially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future? 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisat ion 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 an y 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 intere sts? 
6. Do you have any non-financial competing interest s 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 det ails below. 
'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al. 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 o n the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made availab le 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 repo rt can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published. 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al 
Reviewer’s report 
Title:  Faecal short-chain fatty acids - a diagnostic biom arker for irritable bowel syndrome? 
 
Version:  0 Date:  29 Oct 2015 
 
Reviewer:  Norman Ratcliffe 
 
Reviewer's report: 
The subject of the research is important as a signi ficant number of people are affected by IBS 
and it can result in poor quality of life and affec t the ability to work so effectively. As the 
authors say a better method of diagnoses would be v ery useful to clinicians. The paper is 
soundly written and the conclusions appear reasonab le. It would be interesting if the authors 
could comment more on diet and production of SCFAs and IBS. Plus was any dietary 
information taken from the volunteers? It is known that different carbohydrates for instance 
can change the SCFA ratios. Did the research take i nto account the effect of excessive alcohol 
taken by the volunteers or large amount of cigarett e smoking etc ie could the authors comments 
on whether there was a significant number of volunt eers who did indulge in one particular 
group only and that could skew the statistics. 
The writing is excellent, page 8 line 50 should be through. I recommend the paper should be 
published with extra information added on diet affe cts. 
Are the methods appropriate and well described? 
If not, please specify what is required in your com ments to the authors. 
Yes 
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 t he data shown? 
If not, please explain in your comments to the auth ors. 
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manusc ript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical 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 manu script: 
Acceptable 
Declaration of competing interests 
Please complete a declaration of competing interest s, considering the following questions: 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbur sements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose finan cially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future? 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisat ion 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 an y 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 intere sts? 
6. Do you have any non-financial competing interest s 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 det ails below. 
'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al. 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 o n the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made availab le 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 repo rt can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published. 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer’s report 
Title:  Faecal short-chain fatty acids - a diagnostic biom arker for irritable bowel syndrome? 
 
Version:  0 Date:  29 Oct 2015 
 
Reviewer:  Norman Ratcliffe 
 
Reviewer's report: 
The subject of the research is important as a signi ficant number of people are affected by IBS 
and it can result in poor quality of life and affec t the ability to work so effectively. As the 
authors say a better method of diagnoses would be v ery useful to clinicians. The paper is 
soundly written and the conclusions appear reasonab le. It would be interesting if the authors 
could comment more on diet and production of SCFAs and IBS. Plus was any dietary 
information taken from the volunteers? It is known that different carbohydrates for instance 
can change the SCFA ratios. Did the research take i nto account the effect of excessive alcohol 
taken by the volunteers or large amount of cigarett e smoking etc ie could the authors comments 
on whether there was a significant number of volunt eers who did indulge in one particular 
group only and that could skew the statistics. 
The writing is excellent, page 8 line 50 should be through. I recommend the paper should be 
published with extra information added on diet affe cts. 
Are the methods appropriate and well described? 
If not, please specify what is required in your com ments to the authors. 
Yes 
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 t he data shown? 
If not, please explain in your comments to the auth ors. 
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manusc ript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical 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 manu script: 
Acceptable 
Declaration of competing interests 
Please complete a declaration of competing interest s, considering the following questions: 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbur sements, fees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose finan cially from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future? 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisat ion 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 an y 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 intere sts? 
6. Do you have any non-financial competing interest s 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 det ails below. 
'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al. 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 o n the website along with the authors' 
responses. I agree for my report to be made availab le 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 repo rt can be included as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published. 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journ al 
assistant