Writing an Abstract

Sally C Benton

Sally.benton@bartshealth.nhs.uk

Summarise in one paragraph the major

aspects of the paper
1. The question(s) you investigated
INTRODUCTION

2. The experimental design and methods used

METHODS

3. Major findings including key quantitative results or

trends
RESULTS

4. Brief summary of interpretations and conclusions

DISCUSSION
 Tips
• Keep each section to no more than 3
sentences.

• Concise but complete sentences

• Use the past tense

Exercise
• In the exam you’ll have no more than half
an hour to write an abstract

• Practise becoming efficient

• Two papers distributed – with no abstract!

 Part 1 of abstract

Introduction/ aims

Introduction/ aims
Chemistry Paper (Bowman et al)

Serum C-peptide can be used in Type 2 diabetes as a measure of endogenous

insulin secretion, but practicalities of collection limit its routine clinical use.
Urine C-peptide creatinine ratio is a non-invasive alternative that is stable for at
least 3 days at room temperature in boric acid preservative.
We aimed to assess the utility of urine C-peptide creatinine ratio in individuals
with Type 2 diabetes as an alternative to serum C-peptide.

Micro paper (Hrabak et al)

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass

spectrometry is used for the determination of molecular weights of different
chemical compounds.
We describe here the use of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to detect a
carbapenem antibiotic, meropenem, and its degradation products.
 Sentence 2 of abstract

Method

Method
Chemistry Paper (Bowman et al)
We assessed, in 77 individuals with Type 2 diabetes, the reproducibility of, and
correlations between, fasting and
postprandial urine C-peptide creatinine ratio and serum C-peptide, and the impact of
renal impairment (estimated glomerular
filtration rate < 60 ml min)1 1.73 m)2) on these correlations.

Micro paper (Hrabak et al)

Buffered meropenem solution (0.1 mM Tris-HCl, pH 6.8) was mixed with an overnight
culture of bacteria.
After 3-h incubation, the reaction mixture was centrifuged, and the supernatant was
analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.
The presence or absence of peaks representing meropenem and its sodium salts was
crucial.
The average turnaround time of this test, considering the use of overnight culture, is 4 h.
We validated this method for the detection of resistance to carbapenems in
Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated by carbapenemase
production.
 Part 3 of abstract

Results

Results
Chemistry Paper (Bowman et al)
Urine C-peptide creatinine ratio was at least as reproducible as serum C-
peptide [fasting coefficient of variation mean (95% CI): 28 (21–35)%vs.
38(26–59)% and 2-h post-meal 26(18–33)%vs. 27 (20–34)%.
UrineC-peptide creatinine ratio 2 h post-meal was correlated with stimulated
serum C-peptide, both the 2-h value (r = 0.64, P < 0.001) and the 2-h area
under the C-peptide curve (r = 0.63,P < 0.001).
The association seen was similar in patients with and without moderate renal
impairment (P = 0.6)

Micro paper (Hrabak et al)

A total of 124 strains, including 30 carbapenemase-producing strains, were
used in the study.
The sensitivity of this method is 96.67%, with a specificity of 97.87%.
 Part 4 of abstract

Conclusion

Conclusion
Chemistry Paper (Bowman et al)
In patients with Type 2 diabetes, a single urine C-peptide creatinine ratio is a
stable, reproducible measure that is well correlated with serum C-peptide
following meal stimulation, even if there is moderate renal impairment.
Urine C-peptide creatinine ratio therefore has potential for use in clinical
practice in the assessment of Type 2 diabetes.

Micro paper (Hrabak et al)

Our results demonstrate the ability of this method to routinely detect
carbapenemases in Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas spp. In
laboratories.
This assay is comparable with a labor-intensive imipenem-hydrolyzing
spectrophotometric assay that is a reference method for the detection of
carbapenemase.
As demonstrated here, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry may be used in
microbiological laboratories not only for microbial identification but also for
other applications, such as studies of mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
 Take home message……
• Writing an abstract is not difficult

• Information is all in the paper

• No right and wrong

• Practise will make perfect!!