Reviewer's report 
 "It doesn't do any harm, but patients feel better": a qualitative exploratory study on Title: 
gastroenterologists' perspectives on the role of antidepressants in inflammatory bowel disease 
 1  7 June 2007 Version: Date: 
 Bodil Ohlsson Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be 
reached) 
I have some difficulties to understand why antidepressants would improve the disease activity in IBD. As this has been hypothesized, I would like to have some information in the discussion about the impact of antidepressant on inflammatory pararmeters. I would also like to know the hypothesis behind this 
uncommon question. There must be some strong indicators for that stress and/or depression may impair 
and trigger an exacerbation of IBD. Effects on cytokines? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author 
can be trusted to correct) 
Page 2, abstract. Seventy-eigth, not seventy eight Page 10 line 13, 2 the after each other ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a statistician. Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests´below. 
Reviewer's report 
 "It doesn't do any harm, but patients feel better": a qualitative exploratory study on Title: 
gastroenterologists' perspectives on the role of antidepressants in inflammatory bowel disease 
 1  7 June 2007 Version: Date: 
 Bodil Ohlsson Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be 
reached) 
I have some difficulties to understand why antidepressants would improve the disease activity in IBD. As this has been hypothesized, I would like to have some information in the discussion about the impact of antidepressant on inflammatory pararmeters. I would also like to know the hypothesis behind this 
uncommon question. There must be some strong indicators for that stress and/or depression may impair 
and trigger an exacerbation of IBD. Effects on cytokines? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author 
can be trusted to correct) 
Page 2, abstract. Seventy-eigth, not seventy eight Page 10 line 13, 2 the after each other ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a statistician. Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests´below. 
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report 
 "It doesn't do any harm, but patients feel better": a qualitative exploratory study on Title: 
gastroenterologists' perspectives on the role of antidepressants in inflammatory bowel disease 
 1  7 June 2007 Version: Date: 
 Bodil Ohlsson Reviewer: 
Reviewer's report: 
General 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Major Compulsory Revisions (that the author must respond to before a decision on publication can be 
reached) 
I have some difficulties to understand why antidepressants would improve the disease activity in IBD. As this has been hypothesized, I would like to have some information in the discussion about the impact of antidepressant on inflammatory pararmeters. I would also like to know the hypothesis behind this 
uncommon question. There must be some strong indicators for that stress and/or depression may impair 
and trigger an exacerbation of IBD. Effects on cytokines? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minor Essential Revisions (such as missing labels on figures, or the wrong use of a term, which the author 
can be trusted to correct) 
Page 2, abstract. Seventy-eigth, not seventy eight Page 10 line 13, 2 the after each other ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Discretionary Revisions (which the author can choose to ignore) 
 Unable to decide on acceptance or rejection until the authors have responded to the major What next?: 
compulsory revisions 
 An article of limited interest Level of interest: 
 Acceptable Quality of written English: 
 No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a statistician. Statistical review: 
Declaration of competing interests: 
I declare that I have no competing interests´below. 
assistant