Abstract instructions

Abstracts must be written in English and may not exceed 450 words. Abstracts must follow the following structured format:

Introduction: a brief background for the study including a description of why this study is necesarry.

Objectives: clear statements of main and secondary aims of the study.

Methods: a brief description of main methods of the study.

Perspectives: a brief reflection of what this study will add the the existing literature.

Abstracts can be submitted as pdf files or typed directly into the registration form.

Protocol instructions

Protocols must be written in English and submitted 6 months after title registration, at the latest. As a minimum, protocols must contain the following information:

Objectives: clear statements of main and secondary aims of the study.

Methods: an overview of main methods of the study. The methods section must contain the following information:

Study sample: a clear description of the study sample, including how this sample will be drawn.

Main outcomes: a clear description of the main outcomes, including how these will be defined or measured in the study.

Secondary outcomes: a clear description of secondary outcomes (if any).

Plan for analysis: a clear plan for how data will be analysed, including a description of the primary analysis and any pre-planned subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

Protocols must be submitted as pdf files.