Publication Rate and Evidence-Based Evaluation of Abstracts Presented at the American College of Veterinary Surgeon's Annual Meeting

Publication rate and evidence-based evaluation of abstracts presented at the annual European College of Veterinary Surgeons scientific meeting

OBJECTIVES

To determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at 10 European College of Veterinary Surgeons conferences from 2006 to 2015, report the key publication milestones, and determine variables associated with full manuscript publication.

STUDY DESIGN

Literature review.

SAMPLE POPULATION

One thousand thirty-eight abstracts.

METHODS

All conference abstracts (n = 1038) from the 2006 to 2015 annual ECVS scientific meetings were reviewed, and final publication was determined through a comprehensive bibliographic search. Categories for the level of evidence (LoE), subject, discipline, and institution affiliation were assigned for each abstract. Dates of manuscript submission, acceptance, and publication were recorded.

RESULTS

The overall publication rate for ECVS abstracts from 2006 to 2015 was 32%. Abstracts with levels 4 (60%) and 5 (23%) evidence were presented the most at ECVS conferences and had the highest publication rates at 38% and 36%, respectively. Key publication milestones showed that most abstracts (83%) received publication within the first 36 months with most LoE 2 abstracts (91%) being published within 24 months of presentation. Most published abstracts were affiliated with academic institutions (85%), on dog (29%) and horse (27%) subjects, focused on orthopedic (35%) and soft tissue disciplines (27%), and published in Veterinary Surgery (32%).

CONCLUSION

The ECVS abstract publication rate was lower, and timeline was longer to publish than other veterinary surgical conferences. Publication occurred most frequently in academic institutions, in select journals, and was limited to orthopedic, soft-tissue, dog, and horse studies.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Results from this study may help improve the publication fate of abstracts in veterinary surgery. Additionally, caution is warranted when using information from abstracts that have yet to be published to help guide clinical decisions.

Abstract Presentation at Two Veterinary Surgery Conferences and the Impact on Publication Rate

OBJECTIVES

 The aim of this study was to compare the publication rate (PR) and report descriptive findings from abstracts presented at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), the Veterinary Orthopaedic Society (VOS), and those presented at both conferences.

STUDY DESIGN

 All conference abstracts from 2001 to 2010 ACVS and VOS meetings were reviewed. PR in peer-reviewed journals was evaluated and compared between Group 1 (abstracts presented at ACVS only; n = 1,277), Group 2 (abstracts presented at VOS only; n = 645), and Group 3 (abstracts presented at both conferences; n = 121) abstracts. Abstracts were assigned a level of evidence (LoE) score.

RESULTS

 Approximately 6% of all abstracts evaluated were presented at two scientific meetings (Group 3). The PR of Group 1 (66%) and Group 3 (62%) abstracts was significantly higher than that of Group 2 (45%). The majority of abstracts were assigned a low LoE (3 or 4). Once presented, most Group 3 abstracts took <12 months to be submitted and <24 months to be published.

CONCLUSION

 This study found that a limited number of abstracts were presented at both ACVS and VOS, and PR was significantly different between those presented at ACVS only or both ACVS and VOS compared with VOS only. There was no significant difference in PR between Group 1 and Group 3 abstracts. This study has provided the initial comparison between abstracts presented at two veterinary surgical conferences.

Publication and accessibility of results of controlled trials in dairy science

Research allows for the discovery of new knowledge and is integral to evidence-based decision-making. However, research is only useful if it is available. The aim of this study was to explore publication and accessibility of full-text reports for controlled trials (experimental studies) conducted in dairy cattle. We determined the proportion of controlled trials presented as abstracts at the 2015 Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association and the American Society of Animal Science or the 2015 American Association of Bovine Practitioners Annual Conference that were subsequently published. Factors associated with publication or non-publication in a peer-reviewed journal were evaluated using risk ratios. For trials that were subsequently published, we compared the sample size, numerical results, and inference between the conference abstract and the subsequent publication. Approximately half of the trials (177 out of 380) reported at conferences were subsequently published. Source conference, whether the conference abstract results were described as preliminary, whether there was at least one positive outcome, author affiliation, whether the trial involved deliberate disease induction, and total sample size were not strongly associated with subsequent publication. For trials that were published, the sample size differed between the conference proceedings and full publications for 22%, the numerical results differed in 29%, and the inference differed for 11%. We also evaluated whether trials included in 9 recent systematic reviews were in English and were available without subscription or cost. Of the 390 trials included in recent systematic reviews, approximately 40% were available only through subscription or access fee. These results suggest that publication and accessibility of research results is suboptimal, representing an area of wastage in dairy cattle research. Researchers should ensure that they publish the results of trials comprehensively in searchable publications, even if the results are not novel or do not detect expected differences, and, when possible, make the results available freely.

Publication rate and evidence-based evaluation of abstracts presented at the veterinary endoscopy society annual meeting (2004-2019)

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate of full-length publication for the 2004-2019 Veterinary Endoscopy Society (VES) annual meeting abstracts and to identify abstract and author characteristics as predictors of publication.

STUDY DESIGN

Observational bibliographical study.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Three hundred and eighty-nine abstracts.

METHODS

Abstracts from 2004-2019 Veterinary Endoscopy Society (VES) proceedings and matching full-length publications retrieved from bibliographic databases were systematically reviewed. Variables assessed included species, specimen type (cadaver, live animal, etc.), subdiscipline (orthopedics, internal medicine, etc.), institution, country of origin, study design, level of evidence (LoE), time to publication, number of authors, their credentials, and gender. Logistic regression, Fisher's exact tests and t-tests were used to assess the bivariate relationship between publication and characteristics of the authors and publications.

RESULTS

The overall publication rate for presented abstracts published as full-length articles in peer-reviewed journals was 26%. Median time from abstract presentation to full-length article publication was 430 days. Factors associated with full-length article publication were identified: affiliated institution (P = .01), species studied (P = .04), subdiscipline focus (P = .01), level of evidence (P = .01), number of authors (P = .01), and first author's gender (P = .03).

CONCLUSION

Veterinary Endoscopy Society abstracts were commonly categorized into a lower LoE. Abstracts from academic institutions regarding canine patients and soft tissue surgery topics were more likely to be published. Abstracts citing female first authors or with more than 1 author had higher odds of publication.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Data reported provide authors with predictors for publication and identify topics for research opportunities. Veterinary specialty societies may utilize this information when evaluating abstracts.

Publication Rate and Evidence-Based Evaluation of Abstracts Presented at the Annual Veterinary Orthopedic Society Conference

OBJECTIVES

 Scientific abstracts are a common method for disseminating new research. There is no information on the publication rate of orthopaedic surgery abstracts presented at the annual Veterinary Orthopedic Society (VOS) Conference. The objectives of this study were to document the publication rate, the publication timeline and the level of evidence (LoE) of abstracts presented at an annual orthopaedic meeting.

STUDY DESIGN

 All conference abstracts from the 2001 to 2014 annual VOS meeting were reviewed, and final publication was determined through a comprehensive bibliographic search.

RESULTS

 Over 14 conferences, 1,112 scientific abstracts were presented with an overall publication rate of 47%. The majority of abstracts had low LoE scores, and those abstracts were published less timely than ones with higher LoE scores. Once presented, most abstracts took 1 year to be submitted and 2 years to be published. Dog (45%) and ex vivo (19%) studies were the most common. Publication occurred most frequently in Veterinary Surgery (40%), Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology (17%) and the American Journal of Veterinary Research (12%).

CONCLUSION

 The publication rate for abstracts presented at the annual VOS meeting is lower than those from a more generalized veterinary surgery conference. Publication occurs most frequently in a select group of journals, and the subject matter is limited in scope with a focus on dog and ex vivo studies. Overall, most abstracts presented at VOS contain a lower LoE.

Treatment of idiopathic chylothorax in dogs and cats: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the evidence published on the treatment of idiopathic chylothorax (IC) in small animals.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

SAMPLE POPULATION

Dogs and cats with IC.

METHODS

A literature search was performed in three bibliographic databases in July 2018 for publications on IC in dogs and cats. Articles meeting criteria for inclusion were evaluated for treatment, survival, outcome data, and level of evidence (LoE) with a modified Oxford Level of Evidence (mOLE) and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) system.

RESULTS

Eleven of 313 identified articles met the inclusion criteria. Only one study was identified in dogs as having higher LoE by using the mOLE system, whereas no study was identified as such in either species with the GRADE system. Surgery was the primary treatment in all dogs and in 93% (68/73) of cats. Medical therapy was the primary treatment in 7% (5/73) of cats. The most common surgical treatment combined thoracic duct ligation (TDL) and subtotal pericardiectomy (SP; 40%; 34/84) in dogs and TDL in cats (51% [37/73]).

CONCLUSION

The body of literature for IC treatment in small animals was limited to one higher LoE study in dogs and none in cats. No strong conclusion could be drawn regarding the effectiveness of any one surgical method in dogs or cats, and no evidence was found to support medical therapy as a primary treatment.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The best available evidence regarding the treatment of IC is published in dogs and provides some support for surgical treatment with either TDL + cisterna chyli ablation or TDL + SP. Additional evidence is required to confirm this finding.

Publication Rate of Avian Medicine Conference Abstracts and Influencing Factors: 2011-2015

International conferences on avian medicine and surgery aim to disseminate scientific and evidence-based information in the form of oral presentations and posters. Most manuscripts presented are printed in the conference proceedings as abstracts. Subsequent publication in a scientific peer-reviewed journal is the natural outcome of the research cycle, although studies have shown that the vast majority of conference abstracts are not published. The purpose of this study was to explore 1) the fate of abstracts presented in avian conferences (Association of Avian Veterinarians, European Association of Avian Veterinarians, International Conference on Avian Herpetological and Exotic Mammal Medicine) in the years 2011-2015, 2) assess the publication rate in peer-reviewed journals, 3) describe the time course of subsequent publication, and 4) identify factors associated with increased likelihood of publication. The results showed that 24% of conference abstracts were published within the next 2 years. Depending on the statistical model used, several factors were identified as associated with increased publication rate. North American papers seem to publish with more frequency (univariate model), while European papers had the opposite trend (multivariable model). Likewise, experimental studies were more prone to being published overall (univariate model), whereas retrospective observational studies had a lower rate of publication (multivariable model). Increasing the number of authors was also associated with increased publication rate. Most publications were published in the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, which tends to suggest that this journal is the main journal of the specialty. Some parameters highlighted in this study may assist conference attendees to assess the likelihood of later publication.

Factors affecting publication in peer-reviewed journals of abstracts presented from 2008 to 2012 ACVO meetings

PURPOSE

To examine variables that affect publication of ACVO meeting abstracts in peer-reviewed journals and compare results to ECVO publication rate (PR).

METHODS

Published papers were identified via online searches for abstracts from 2008 to 2012 ACVO/ECVO meetings. Variables analyzed (via Pearson's chi-Squared test) included the following: oral presentation/poster, type of abstract (clinical/basic science/case report), species, ocular tissue, nationality, funding, first/last/any author a diplomate, resident as first author, and author affiliation (private practice/university).

RESULTS

One hundred and eighty-six of 577 ACVO abstracts were published within 608 ± 479 days, with 103 published in Veterinary Ophthalmology. Significant factors included the following: nationality of first/last authors (P = .005); English as first language (P < .001); presentation type (P < .001, oral 40% PR, poster 22% PR); type of study (P = .037, clinical study 35% PR, basic science 30% PR, case report 16% PR); resident as first author (P < .001); diplomate as any author except first/last (P < .001); first author affiliation (P = .001, university 37% PR, practice 21% PR); last author affiliation (P = .003, university 36% PR, practice 22% PR); and species (P < .001, horses 53% PR, multiple species 50% PR, cats 35% PR, food animals 31% PR, exotics/wildlife 31% PR, dogs 27% PR, laboratory animals/in vitro 24%). Nonsignificant factors were as follows: diplomate as first/last author, funding, and ocular tissue. Presentation type, resident as first author, university affiliation of first author, and species had the greatest effect on publication probability. For the same period, ECVO PR was 87 of 299, which was not significantly different from ACVO PR (P = .342).

CONCLUSION

At 32%, ACVO PR for the study years is similar to ECVO PR of 29%.

An In-Depth Analysis of Publication Characteristics of Podium Presentations at the Arthroscopy Association of North America Annual Meetings, 2011-2014

PURPOSE

To determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the annual meetings of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) from 2011 through 2014 and to compare the level of evidence (LoE) between published and unpublished studies.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar for all abstracts given as podium presentations at the 2011 through 2014 AANA Annual Meetings. A publication rate was calculated from all presented abstracts. Each abstract was reviewed to determine the study's LoE (I-V or nonclinical). Among published studies, the average time from presentation to publication was calculated. The journals in which these studies were published were also noted.

RESULTS

A total of 290 abstracts were given as podium presentations at AANA Annual Meetings from 2011 through 2014. Of the 290 studies presented, 195 (195/290, 67%) were published in peer-reviewed journals. Of the 195 published studies, 184 (184/195, 94%) were published within 3 years of the meeting date. Studies were most frequently published in Arthroscopy (n = 59) and the American Journal of Sports Medicine (n = 48). The average time from presentation to publication was 12.2 months. Overall, there was no significant difference between published and unpublished studies in terms of LoE (P = .24).

CONCLUSIONS

In recent years, studies presented at AANA Annual Meetings have achieved a high publication rate (67%). Based on other studies, this publication rate is comparable to recent American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Annual Meetings and is higher than that of AANA Annual Meetings from previous years. The level of evidence of presented studies does not necessarily correlate with eventual publication.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The publication rate and level of evidence of podium presentations at AANA demonstrate the scientific impact the annual meeting has for peers pursuing orthopaedic research.

Factors affecting peer-reviewed publication of abstracts presented at meetings of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (2008-2012)

PURPOSE

To review abstracts presented at five consecutive meetings of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO), and identify abstract characteristics that affect the probability of their publication in peer-reviewed journals.

METHODS

An online search was conducted for peer-reviewed publications (PRPs) stemming from abstracts from five ECVO meetings (2008-2012). Time to publication and journal were noted. Effects of ocular tissue/discipline, species, type of presentation and study, funding acknowledgment and affiliation, professional qualifications, and nationality of the first and last authors on probability of publication were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of presented abstracts, 29% (87/299) were published as PRPs in Veterinary Ophthalmology (n = 50), other veterinary journals (n = 22), and nonveterinary journals (n = 15). During the 5 years studied, there was no significant difference between the impact factor of Veterinary Ophthalmology and the 25 other journals in which PRPs were published (P = 0.369). Median time to PRP acceptance or publication was 468 days. Independent variables most significant in determining the probability of PRP were oral presentation (P = 0.002), resident authorship (P < 0.0001), and species (P = 0.002), with food animal abstracts having the highest odds ratio. Ocular tissue/discipline (P = 0.13) and type of study (P = 0.33) did not affect publication probability. Funding acknowledgment (P = 0.02), author nationality (P = 0.02), and academic affiliation (P = 0.04) were also significant factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Publication rate of ECVO abstracts is lower, but time to publication is similar, compared with most biomedical meetings.