Publication rate of abstracts from presentations at the British Orthodontic Conference 2009-2014

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the publication rate of scientific abstracts presented at the British Orthodontic Conference 2009-2014. Predictors of full-text publications after presentation of abstracts were explored. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Details of abstracts were retrieved from the conference programmes. Abstracts were screened and full-text publications identified by a single author with discrepancies discussed. Two electronic databases were searched to identify full-text publication of abstracts presented at the British Orthodontic Conference during 2009-2014. Study characteristics were recorded in a prespecified data collection sheet. Descriptive and correlation statistics were calculated. Multivariable Cox regression modelling was implemented in order to assess the effect of predictors on the instance of probability of publication. RESULTS: A total of 225 abstracts (148 poster presentations and 77 oral presentations) were identified. Observational studies were frequent (60%) and significant results were reported in 38.7% of abstracts. The rate of full-text publication after abstract presentation was 46.2% with a mean time to publication of 18.3 ± 18.7 months. Authors based at both university and hospitals (Hazard ratio: 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-5.47, P=0.01) had a higher instant probability of publication compared to university only, whereas diagnostic studies (Hazard ratio: 0.18, 95% CI 0.04-0.74, P=0.02) had lower instant probability of publication compared to systematic reviews. CONCLUSION: Over 50% of study abstracts presented at the British Orthodontic Conference during 2009-2014 remain unpublished. Author affiliation and study type appear to influence full text publication. In order to reduce publication bias within the literature, publication of full-text articles by authors of presented abstracts is encouraged.