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HOW TO WRITE AN ABSTRACT
P Devroey
Consideration on Fertility and Sterility November 2009
Which type of abstract? Which type of study?
• Historic cohort study
• Retrospective and analysis
• Laboratory based study
• Systematic review and meta-analysis
• In vitro and in vivo study
• Clinical study
• Retrospective non-randomized study
Source Fertilty and Sterility November 2009
Which type of abstract? Which type of study? (continued)
• Retrospective cohort study
• Retrospective case series study
• Retrospective clinical study
• Retrospective data review
• Cross-sectional study
Source Fertilty and Sterility November 2009
•Pilot study
•Prospective cohort study
•Meta-analysis
•Systematic review
•Randomized controlled trial
Which type of abstract? Which type of study? (continued)
Source Fertilty and Sterility November 2009
Absent in Fertilty and Sterility November 2009
Which type of abstract? Which type of study?
To be avoided Preferred
Historic cohort study Prospective cohort study
Retrospective non-randomized study Prospective randomized controlled trial
Retrospective case series study None
Systematic review and meta-analysis Systematic review
Systematic review and meta-analysis Meta-analysis
Preferred type of abstract and study
Level of preference
Pilot study ++
Prospective cohort study +
Randomized controlled trial +++
Meta- analysis ++
Preferred type of abstract and study ( continued)
Probability of acceptance
Pilot study ++
Prospective cohort study +
Randomized controlled trial +++
Meta- analysis +++
Historic cohort study -
Pilot study
• Innovative idea
• Mechanistic study
• Small sample
• Judgement positive
• Conclusion to start trial • preferentialy randomized controlled trial
Randomized controlled trial
• State of the art
• Blinded• Sealed envelopes• Computer randomized list
• Primary end point (only one)
• Secundary end points
• Power calculation
• Level of significance
Examples of randomized controlled trials
RCT Primary end point
Replacement of one day 3 versus one day 5 embryo
Ongoing pregnancy rate
hCG triggering versus hCG agonist triggering in antagonist cycle
Number of MII oocytes
Programming of antagonist cycles with or without estradiol priming
Avoiding weekend oocyte retrievals
Proposal of abstract design
Objective Is day 5 ET preferential to day 3 ET?
Design RCT
Methods ICSI
Primary end point Pregnancy rate
Results 15% increased pregnancy rate after day 5 ET
Conclusions Day 5 ET is preferential to day 3 ET
References X Y Z
Which is the perspective of an abstract ?
• To be presented on scientific meetings• Oral presentation• Poster presentation
• To be cited as an abstract
• To be written in a peer reviewed journal
• To be cited as a paper
Example of not well documented abstract
Objective Does varicocele influence testicular volume
Design Retrospective clinical study
Methods 150 infertile patients with and 299 without varicocele
Primary end point Semen analysis, serum FSH , LH and testosteron levels
Results Semen density and serum FSH did correlate with testicular volume in patients without varicocele
Conclusions Presence of varicocele influences testicular function
References Bonde JPE, et al Lancet 1998
Evaluation of properly performed abstract in Fertility and Sterility November 2009
Abstracts (n=26)
Prospective design 9 (35%)
Non prospective design 17 (65%)
Evaluation of properly performed abstract in Fertility and Sterility March 2013
Abstracts (n=35)
Prospective design 12 (34%)
Non prospective design 23 (66%)
Evaluation of properly performed abstract in Human Reproduction 2012
Abstracts (n=23)
Prospective design 6 (26%)
Non prospective design 17 (74%)
Evaluation of properly performed abstract in Reproductive BioMedicine Online 2013
Abstracts (n=13)
Prospective design 2 (15%)
Non prospective design 11 (85%)
Conclusions
• The majority of published abstracts does not comply with evidence based medicine
• It is of paramount importance to innitiate a correct study design
• Avoidance of studies with retrospective and historical nature
• Prospective studies are mandatory and preferred
• Every abstract has to be viewed as a highly cited paper in a peer reviewed journal
CODA
• Accepting reseach in our centers based on• pilot studies• prospective studies• randomized controlled trials
• This type of research does not encounter competition
• High acceptance rates of abstracts and manuscripts are predictable
• Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are proned to be cited in meta-analysis