Congress abstract information

Abstract information

GENERAL
Abstracts can only be submitted online via the online abstract submission system. Abstracts sent by post or email will not be accepted. No exceptions will be made.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
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Please read this information carefully!

Abstract submission must be in one of three different categories:
a. Medical or research professional / clinician
b. Allied health professional / practice and research
c. PARE organisations / patient

The categories are subdivided into topics (Abstract topics >>).
The correct category and topic must be selected to ensure correct scoring. The content of the abstract must be topic related.
Please carefully read all instructions in the abstract submission system before preparing your abstract.
For standardisation, the acceptable length of the abstract is not more than
3 600 printable characters and 42 lines, author?s details and headers included. This also includes non visible characters, such as spaces, and punctuation.
The abstract should be structured into the following sections:
  a. Title which clearly indicates the nature of the investigation
  b. Background
  c. Objectives
  d. Methods
  e. Results
  f. Conclusions
  g. References
One graph/image can be included with the following criteria:
  Max image width: 500 pixels
  Max image height: 500 pixels
  Max file size: 500 KB
  Allowed file type: gif, jpg

Please note that insertion of graphs and images may significantly reduce the number of remaining allowed characters.
If your submitted abstract has been accepted by the system, you will receive a confirmation number. If no confirmation number is received, the abstract cannot be considered as successfully submitted and accepted.
Submitted abstracts can be re-edited and modified until the submission deadline. Therefore, the submitting author will be required to provide his/her e-mail address as the login and a preferred password during submission. To save the abstract all required fields must be filled in. If you leave the system without having provisionally submitted the abstract, all data is lost. The submitted abstracts cannot be edited after the submission
deadline (31 January 2009, Midnight CET).
An abstract can only be submitted if the ?Ethical Declaration? on the online abstract form is accepted by entering the submitting author's initials.
Abstracts accepted for the congress are subject to the ?Abstract Embargo Rules? and the ?Transfer of Copyright?.
An abstract should not be submitted if it has been identically presented on a previous occasion.
The reviewers will judge the abstracts according to the scientific value, potential clinical value, relevance to EULAR, suitability of methods to aims, conclusions confirmed by objective results, objectivity of statements, description of methods used, ethics, originality of work, standard of English and overall impression.
Please ensure that your abstract does not contain spelling, grammatical or scientific errors, as it will be reproduced exactly as submitted. No proofreading will be done.
Accepted abstracts will be published in the congress abstract book, a supplement to ?The Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ? The EULAR Journal?, which will be given only upon request at a special desk. Accepted abstracts will also be available on-line on this site, about one month prior to the congress.
The submission of an abstract constitutes a formal commitment by the presenting author to present the abstract ? if accepted ? orally or as a poster in the session and the time assigned by the EULAR Programme Committee. We therefore recommend that submitters of abstracts register for the congress simultaneously with abstract submission.
Abstracts not adhering to these guidelines will be rejected. If you do not agree with any of these rules, you should not submit an abstract. The final decision about acceptance of an abstract will be taken by the EULAR Programme Committee.
If you need to withdraw your abstract, a written statement reflecting the reasons for this decision must be sent to the EULAR Secretariat not later than 15 April 2009.

Instructions for Abstract Presentations

If an abstract is selected for oral presentation, the presenting
author as specified at submission will be requested to present it in the assigned session. Details will be communicated to the submitter by mid-April 2009.
If an abstract is accepted as a poster presentation, the presenting author will be requested to be available for discussion during the corresponding poster viewing session.
Posters will be set up close to the exhibition area.
The posters need to be printed in landscape. The usable surface of the display panels measures 94 cm (height) x 180 cm (width); adhesive material will be provided.
Please use letters large enough to be read from a distance of 1.5 meters.