Understanding Abstracts

[VXman]

General Tips for Reading and Understanding an Abstract:

The 2008 AASLD Meeting in San Francisco has prompted discussions regarding the abstracts which are being presented through November 4th. They can be very confusing and difficult to understand. The following information has been copied from the HCV Advocate website, and is well worth the reading.

"An abstract is usually divided into seven sections.  Start by reading the entire abstract quickly – highlight or note any important facts that are key points, such as the number of participants, overall effectiveness, etc.  After a quick review go back and read it slowly and carefully.  A natural inclination is to just read the conclusion section, but remember that a conclusion, at times, can be what the author wanted to prove and not necessarily the real facts".

For specific information with examples of abstract information, go to the following website link:
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsLetter/2008/advocate1108.html#4

[VXman]

Your absolutely correct regarding the meeting in Boston last year. Every year the location changes. Before Boston, the meeting was in Barcelona, Spain. Over 6,000 hepatologists and hepatology health professionals from around the world are meeting in San Francisco to exchange the latest liver disease research, discuss treatment outcomes and interact with colleagues. This is considered the most prestigious and professional meetings of the year, as it relates to the liver. I posted my comment as a direct result of another posting which explained the procedure of locating the specific abstracts submitted to this meeting. Take a look at the posting titled: "How to get Abstracts From Liver Meeting 2008 (AASLD) by jmjm530 for details on linking to each individual abstract.

Here's the link to the current AASLD Meeting:
http://www.aasld.org/thelivermeeting/Pages/Programs.aspx

[scratchinghead]

Is this a new conference? Sounds like it since the last one was Boston. Can you tell us what you see, Jim?

[jmjm530]

A natural inclination is to just read the conclusion section, but remember that a conclusion, at times, can be what the author wanted to prove and not necessarily the real facts".
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This is so very true, but I'll take it a step further. Even a good reading of the complete abstract can leave you wanting as an abstract is only a summary of the complete study itself.

While time and finances make abstracts the more popular choice, nothing beats the full-text article, especially when it involves an important treatment decision. You can get full-text articles of most studies by ordering them various online sites. Other more cost effective avenues are medical libaries, scholastic accounts or even emaling the author of the article for a copy.

But if there's a study or two that you think may be an important part of a tx decision in consultation with your medical team -- then you really can't spend your money in a more worthwhile way than getting the full-text version.

-- Jim