Search

Background: A key metric of the research quality of medical conferences is the publication rate of abstracts. The study objective was to determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress (RACS ASC) and to examine for any predictive factors associated with publication., Methods: Abstracts presented at the RACS ASC from 2011 to 2013 were analysed. Abstract characteristics such as presentation format, study type, study design, study site, cohort size and author origin were recorded. Abstracts published were identified by a PubMed search using a strict algorithm. Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were used to analyse for predictive factors of publication., Results: Overall, 1438 abstracts were presented and 423 abstracts (29%) were published. The median time to publication was 15.2 months (interquartile range: 8-26) with 110 in Australasian journals (26%). The median number of citations for published abstracts was 6 (interquartile range: 2-16). After multivariable analysis, publication was significantly associated with prospective study design (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, P = 0.02), multicentre study site (OR = 1.43, P = 0.02), cohort size ≥100 (OR = 2.00, P < 0.001) and New Zealand author origin (OR = 1.50, P = 0.01)., Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that less than one-third of abstracts presented at the RACS ASC are subsequently published in a peer-reviewed journal. Factors significantly associated with journal publication include prospective studies, multicentre study, a larger cohort size and New Zealand author origin. Advances in surgery may progress from the preliminary findings of conference abstracts. However only after the rigorous peer review offered by journal publication should changes in decision-making of patient care occur., (© 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.)

Objective: Indigenous Australians have poorer health outcomes compared to the non-Indigenous population. Malnutrition, and subsequently iron-deficiency anaemia, impairs childhood development. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of anaemia in school-aged children of an Australian Indigenous community and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment., Design: A retrospective cohort study., Setting: A Northern Territory Indigenous community., Participants: Two hundred and one school-age students (5-15 years old) undergoing annual school screening., Main Outcome Measures: Presence of anaemia. Anaemic and non-anaemic students were compared to determine any differences in age, gender, BMI and past history of anaemia. The response to treatment was analysed using initial and repeat haemoglobin results., Results: Altogether, 201 students were screened with 105 (52%) classified as anaemic. No significant association was found between anaemic students and age, gender, BMI or prior history of anaemia. After treatment, the mean rise in haemoglobin was 13% (95% CI 11-15) at the 4-week interval. Age (P = 0.17), gender (P = 0.53) and weight (P = 0.14) were not significantly associated with treatment efficacy. Only 11 students (17%) were still anaemic after treatment., Discussion: Anaemia in Indigenous Australian school-aged children is a major public health issue. The prevalence of anaemia in this population is 52% and many times higher than that of the general Australian population. As per current guidelines, the recommended treatment is effective in over 80% at the 4-week interval. Community wide interventions are required to combat this alarming issue., (© 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.)