From: A scoping review of comparisons between abstracts and full reports in primary biomedical research
Study-validity-related factor | Number of included studies (reference numbers) | Number of abstract-full-report pairs | Main findings of inconsistent reporting |
---|---|---|---|
Research question or objective | 274 | Two studies reported high level (98% - 99%) of consistency for study objectives; One study found 10% difference in both study objectives and conclusions | |
Population or sample size | 1121 | Sample sizes in abstracts were found to be smaller (9%), be different from full reports (17% - 78%), or have insufficient information on numbers of enrolled and analyzed participants/subjects (44% - 59%). | |
Intervention or exposure | 1 ([21]) | 59 | Full reports provided different/additional pathogens and/or interventions in two abstract-full-report pairs (3%). |
Comparator | 0 | 0 | – |
Outcome measure | 647 | It was found that inconsistency existed in designating a different primary outcome (4% - 28%), outcome measures were different (59%) between abstracts and full reports, or primary outcome was not stated in abstract (70% - 77%). | |
Study duration | 1 ([20]) | 51 | Sixteen abstracts (31%) reported different study period and/or population from full reports. |
Study design | 223 | High level of consistency was found for study design (95% - 99%). | |
Statistical analysis | 1 ([2]) | 159 | Few abstracts (8%) reported the same statistical methods as in the full reports. |
Result presentation | 1131 | Results in abstract were different from full reports (13% - 41%), with a statistically significant change leading to a change of study conclusion (6% - 32%), not reporting pertinent negative (40%) and pertinent positive (90%) findings, or selectively reporting favorable results (6%). | |
Result interpretation | 456 | Result interpretation in abstracts was found to be inconsistent (4% - 15%), or overly optimistic (23%). | |
Conclusion or recommendation | 896 | Conclusions in abstracts were reported to be inconsistent (15% - 35%), or with stronger statements than in full reports (17%). |