Gut (BMJ) 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and When to Expect a Decision

Before the paper reaches reviewers, the Gut Editor-in-Chief reviews all submissions and suitable papers are assigned to an Associate Editor; each manuscript is evaluated by the Associate Editor and Editor before rejection. Approximately 33 percent of manuscripts are desk-rejected within 2 weeks. A desk rejection most often means the editors concluded that the work would fit better at a sister BMJ journal (BMJ Open Gastroenterology for open-access cascade) or that the gastroenterology priority bar is not met. Gut's signature strength is microbiome research; papers in the microbiome space are competitive even at the desk screen.

The Gut editorial office confirms files are complete: manuscript with figures embedded, supplementary information separate, CONSORT checklist for clinical trials (required), reporting checklists where applicable (STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for systematic reviews, ARRIVE for animal work), cover letter directed to the editor, conflict-of-interest declarations, ethics-statement documentation, IRB approvals, trial-registration documentation, and data-availability statement.

The EIC reviews all submissions for initial fit and decides whether to assign suitable papers to an Associate Editor. EIC desk rejections happen here for clearly out-of-scope work.

The Associate Editor evaluates whether the gastroenterology-significance warrants Gut's selective editorial slots. The AE evaluates the manuscript before any reviewer invitation. Gut's 2-week desk decision target reflects the BMJ commitment to rapid editorial response.

In parallel with the primary AE's read, ambiguous-fit papers are discussed at the bi-weekly AE meeting where peer Associate Editors champion their best papers. Approximately 40 papers are discussed per meeting with only about 10 accepted; AEs champion their best papers, resulting in fierce competition despite balanced coverage across subspecialties (luminal, hepatobiliary, IBD, motility, microbiome).

Gut Associate Editors select 6 potential reviewers and invite the first 2; if reviewers decline, the next reviewers on the list of 6 are invited. The 2-week deadline for reviewers + bi-weekly AE meeting cadence keeps the timeline tight.

Once reviewers agree to review, the typical Gut peer-review cycle lasts 2 weeks per reviewer per the deadline. Reviewers are asked to evaluate gastroenterology-significance, methodological rigor, CONSORT compliance for clinical trials, and reproducibility. Reviewer reports for Gut tend to be focused; 1500 to 3000 word reports are typical given the 2-week reviewer deadline.

After reports return, the Associate Editor synthesizes them and presents the case at the next bi-weekly AE meeting where 40 papers are discussed but only about 10 accepted. The bi-weekly meeting cadence is Gut's distinctive feature: it ensures rapid decisions and AE-championing of best papers.

• Rejection within 1 to 7 days: EIC desk rejection for clearly out-of-scope work.
• Rejection within 7 to 14 days: Associate Editor desk rejection per the 33 percent figure.
• Still Under Review after 2 weeks: Strong signal. Paper passed both the EIC and AE desk screens.
• Still Under Review after 8 weeks: Reviewer-recruitment delay (Associate Editor invited beyond the first 2 of 6 potential reviewers). A polite inquiry via the ScholarOne portal is appropriate.
• Status changes to "Decision Pending": Reports are in; expect a decision within 1 to 2 weeks of the next bi-weekly AE meeting.

This is the most common anxiety we hear from Gut authors during the active editorial window. The honest answer: no, 4 weeks at Under Review puts you right at Gut's 24-day median timeline (including peer review). Reports may already be in editorial synthesis with the Associate Editor preparing for the next bi-weekly AE meeting. Most reviewer-driven delays come from initial reviewer-recruitment if the first 2 of the AE's 6 potential reviewers declined, rather than slow reviews because the 2-week reviewer deadline + BMJ enforcement keeps active review fast. If the portal still says Under Review at the 6-week mark, the most likely explanation is that the AE invited beyond the first 2 reviewers from the original list of 6, or that one of the assigned reviewers asked for an extension. This is normal practice at Gut.

What you should NOT do during the 4-to-6-week window is email the editorial office. Gut Associate Editors are working academic gastroenterologists managing 30+ active papers; an inquiry at 4 weeks adds friction without accelerating the timeline.

If your Gut paper is rejected after review, the natural cascade depends on what the reviewers and Associate Editor cited:

BMJ Open Gastroenterology is the natural BMJ open-access cascade for gastroenterology papers where the priority bar of Gut flagship is not met but the rigor is high. BMJ supports manuscript-transfer with reviewer reports preserved.

Gut Microbes is the external Taylor & Francis cascade for microbiome-focused gastroenterology research.

Gastroenterology is the external AGA flagship cascade. Gastroenterology uses Editorial Manager at editorialmanager.com/gastro; editorial contact gastro@elsevier.com.

Hepatology is the external AASLD specialty cascade for liver-focused work. Hepatology uses Editorial Manager at editorialmanager.com/hep; editorial contact hep@wiley.com.

Journal of Crohn's and Colitis (JCC) is the ECCO IBD specialty cascade.

The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology is the Lancet specialty cascade. The Lancet uses Editorial Manager at editorialmanager.com/thelancet; editorial contact editorial@lancet.com.

BMJ asks reviewers at Gut to evaluate four things specifically. The table below maps each to actionable preparation.

In our pre-submission work with Gut-targeted manuscripts, three named patterns generate the most consistent reviewer concerns and the most common reasons papers miss the editorial bar or fail the desk screen.

Narrow-subspecialty framing flagged at EIC + AE screen. When the introduction frames the work too narrowly within one gastroenterology subspecialty without broader-gastroenterology priority, Gut Editor-in-Chief or Associate Editor desk rejection within 2 weeks is common. The strongest manuscripts frame the introduction around a broader gastroenterology question the findings address.

Reporting checklist gaps surface as reviewer concerns. When CONSORT, STROBE, or PRISMA checklists are incomplete or items say "see Methods" without actual Methods coverage, reviewers consistently request expanded reporting sections. The strongest manuscripts complete the relevant reporting checklist fully before submission.

Bi-weekly AE meeting cascade offers. When the Associate Editor concludes the work is rigorous but the gastroenterology priority bar of Gut flagship is not met at the bi-weekly meeting, transfer offers to BMJ Open Gastroenterology (BMJ open-access) are common. BMJ editors take these transfers seriously.

This page was created from BMJ's public Gut editorial documentation at pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1774789/, BMJ Gut journal information (~33 percent desk rejection rate, 2-week desk decision target, 24-day median timeline including peer review, ~12 percent overall acceptance rate, ~40 papers discussed per bi-weekly AE meeting with ~10 accepted, 6 potential reviewers selected with first 2 invited, 2-week reviewer deadline), and Manusights pre-submission review experience with Gut-targeted manuscripts.

For the gastroenterology landscape beyond Gut, see BMJ Open Gastroenterology (BMJ open-access cascade), Gastroenterology (AGA flagship), Hepatology (AASLD liver specialty), Journal of Crohn's and Colitis (ECCO IBD specialty), Gut Microbes (Taylor & Francis microbiome), and The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (Lancet specialty). The choice across these titles depends on whether the central contribution is top BMJ gastroenterology + microbiome strength (Gut), BMJ open-access gastroenterology (BMJ Open Gastroenterology), top AGA gastroenterology (Gastroenterology), top AASLD liver (Hepatology), IBD specialty (JCC), microbiome specialty (Gut Microbes), or top global-impact GI-hepatology (Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology).

Reviewers at Gut typically draw from 2 gastroenterology subspecialty experts (luminal, hepatobiliary, IBD, motility, microbiome). Editors screen and triage manuscripts before any external reviewer sees them, and preparing a response template that addresses both gastroenterology-priority and methodology perspectives accelerates revision rounds substantially.

For a pre-upload check of your manuscript against the Gut gastroenterology-priority bar before submission, our Gut pre-submission diagnostic flags the framing and reporting-checklist weaknesses most likely to surface in reviewer reports.