An Authors guideline for Obstetrics and Gyn

Following are guidelines for the prep-aration and submission of manu-scripts to Obstetrics & Gynecology.Submit all manuscripts through theInternet at http://ong.editorialmanager.com (Editorial Manager). Include thefollowing items with the submittedmanuscript: Author Agreement form(s) Completed checklist(s) for thesubmission process outlined herein

Completed checklist for appro-priate reporting guideline, if ap-plicable (see I.L)

CONSORT STROBE PRISMA STARD MOOSE Disclosure of potential conflicts ofinterest (see I.E)

Cover letter to the editors address-ing the following points:

The authors intent to submitsolely to Obstetrics & Gynecology Verification that the manuscriptis not under consideration else-where, and indication from theauthors that it will not be sub-mitted elsewhere until a finaldecision is made by the editorsof Obstetrics & Gynecology

The declaration of transparencyfrom the lead author (see I.A) Clinical trial registration, if ap-plicable (see I.B)

Institutional review board (IRB)approval or exemption (see I.F)

Informed consent (see I.H) Any explanations related toreporting guidelines (see I.L) Potential cover art (see VII) Microsoft Word or Open Docu-ment file of the manuscript, withpages and lines numbered con-

secutively and containing the fol-lowing:

Title Page Prcis Abstract Manuscript body References Table(s) Figure Legend(s) Any figure(s)

Any supplemental digital content(see VI.AC)Further information about each of

these components can be found inSections II through VII.

Authors may also send signedforms and required checklists bye-mail to [email protected]. Allforms are available online (http://ong.editorialmanager.com) or in the back ofeach months journal. Authors mustuse the most recent version of theauthor agreement form. The mostcurrent version is always the onefound online.

Once a manuscript is submittedthrough Editorial Manager, the cor-responding author will be notified bye-mail.

During consideration of a manu-script, it may become necessary toexamine original source documentssuch as signed consent forms,IRB minutes, research data books orlogs, and statistical calculations. If theEditor requests any such material,and the author is unable or unwillingto produce it, the manuscript will bewithdrawn.

A Guide to Writing for Obstetrics &Gynecology, a complementary re-source to the Instructions for Au-thors, is available at http://ong.editorialmanager.com (or contact theEditorial Office to obtain a hardcopy). First and second authors of

articles published in Obstetrics& Gy-necology are eligible to receive 10Category 1 continuing medical edu-cation credits per article for one arti-cle per year.*

Authors may now enter theirORCID identifier in Editorial Man-ager. Please go to the Update MyInformation page to enter an exist-ing identifier or to register withORCID (http://orcid.org/).

Authors who are interested insigning up as peer reviewers shouldcontact the editorial office.

Contact information for the edi-torial office is:

The EditorObstetrics & Gynecology409 12th Street, SWWashington, DC 20024-2188Phone: 202-314-2317Fax: 202-479-0830E-mail: [email protected]

I. POLICIESThe following policies apply to allmanuscripts submitted to Obstetrics &Gynecology.

A. AuthorshipThe role of authorship in Obstetrics &Gynecology is reserved for those in-dividuals who meet the criteria rec-ommended by the InternationalCommittee of Medical Journal Edi-tors (ICMJE; http://www.icmje.org):1

Substantial contributions to theconception or design of thework; or the acquisition, analysis,or interpretation of data for thework; and

Drafting the work or revising itcritically for important intellec-tual content; and

Final approval of the version tobe published; and

Agreement to be accountable forall aspects of the work in ensur-ing that questions related to theaccuracy or integrity of any part

2013 by The American College of Obstetri-cians and Gynecologists. Published by Lippin-cott Williams & Wilkins

* The American College of Obstetricians andGynecologists is accredited by the Accredita-tion Council for Continuing Medical Education(ACCME) to provide continuing medical edu-cation for physicians.

190 VOL. 123, NO. 1, JANUARY 2014 OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Instructions for Authors

of the work are appropriately in-vestigated and resolved.Author Declaration of Trans-

parency. As proposed in a 2013 ed-itorial in BMJ,2 Obstetrics & Gynecologyrequires that all evidence-based re-search submissions be accompaniedby a transparency declaration state-ment from the manuscripts lead au-thor. By signing this statement, thelead author declares that the manu-scripts contents are not misleading.

The following statement shouldappear in the submissions coverletter, or be uploaded in EditorialManager as a separate attachment:

The lead author* affirms thatthis manuscript is an honest, ac-curate, and transparent account ofthe study being reported; that noimportant aspects of the studyhave been omitted; and that anydiscrepancies from the study asplanned (and, if relevant, regis-tered) have been explained.

Signed by: _________________*The manuscripts guarantor.

Number of Authors. The appro-priate number of authors depends onthe nature of the study. The maxi-mum number of authors usuallypermitted is four, with the exceptionof original research articles. Co-firstauthors and notes in the manuscriptdescribing the degree of author con-tribution are not permitted.

Ghost Authorship. A ghost au-thor is someone who participatesin one or more of the followingresearch, data analysis, or writing ofa manuscriptbut is not named ordisclosed in the author byline or ac-knowledgments.3 Ghost authorship isprohibited by the journal. Authorsmust disclosewhether anymanuscriptpreparation assistance was receivedincluding but not limited to topic de-velopment, data collection, analysis,writing, or editorial assistanceand, ifso,whoprovidedandwhopaid for theassistance (see IV.A).

GroupAuthorship. If authorshipis attributed to a group or collective,there must be at least one individual

name included. List the names of theindividuals in the group or collectivein an appendix, which will be pub-lished online. A reference to the on-line appendix will appear in the printjournal.

B. Clinical Trial RegistrationObstetrics & Gynecology complies withthe ICMJE requirement that clinicaltrials be registered in a public trialsregistry at or before the time of firstpatient enrollment in order to beconsidered for publication.4,5,6 Regis-tries approved by the ICMJE areClinicalTrials.gov or any registry thatis a primary register of the WHOInternational Clinical Trials RegistryPlatform (ICTRP; http://www.who.int/ictrp/network/primary/en/index.html).

Provide the trial registryname andURL and the registration number atthe end of the abstract.

In the cover letter, the corre-sponding author must attest to regis-tering the trial and that the protocolthey are reporting to Obstetrics & Gy-necology is identical to the posted trialand if, not, preciselywhere andwhy itvaries. Any changes in protocolshould also be discussed in the man-uscript itself as well as documentedon the trials registry web site.

If you cannot provide this in-formation and wish to be consideredfor an exception, please contact theeditor directly via e-mail prior tosubmitting your manuscript ([email protected]).

C. Compliance with NIH andOther Research FundingAgency AccessibilityRequirementsA number of research funding agen-cies now require or request authors tosubmit the postprint (the article afterpeer review and acceptance but notthe final published article) to a re-pository that is accessible online byall without charge. As a service to ourauthors, the journals publisher, Lip-pincott Williams & Wilkins, willidentify to the National Library of

Medicine articles that require depositand will transmit the postprint of anarticle based on research funded inwhole or in part by the National In-stitutes of Health, Wellcome Trust,HowardHughesMedical Institute, orother funding agencies to PubMedCentral. The author agreement formprovides the mechanism.

D. Database ValidationIn order for an administrative data-base study to be considered for pub-lication in Obstetrics & Gynecology, thedatabase used must be shown to bereliable and validated. In your coverletter, please tell us who entered thedata and how the accuracy of the da-tabase was validated. This same in-formation should be included in theMaterials andMethods section of themanuscript.

E. Disclosure of PotentialConflicts of InterestsOn submission, the author(s) mustidentify potential conflicts of interestof a financial or other nature.Authorsshould err on the side of full disclo-sure and provide as much infor-mation as possible, regardless ofdollar amount. Identify all sources of financialsupport of the study, includingprovision of supplies or servicesfrom a commercial organizationon the title page.

All sponsor names must be pro-vided. Include an explanation ofany role the sponsor(s) had in thestudy design; collection, analysis,and interpretion of data; writingof the report; the decision to sub-mit the report for publication; ora statement that the sponsor(s)had no such involvement.

Disclose any financial involve-ment that could represent poten-tial conflicts of interest bychecking the appropriate boxon the author agreement formand listing the potential conflictsin an attachment to the authoragreement form.

VOL. 123, NO. 1, JANUARY 2014 Instructions for Authors 191

F. Institutional and EthicalApprovalAll studies should follow the princi-ples set forth in the Helsinki Declara-tion of 1975, as revised in 2013, andmanuscripts should be approved bythe necessary authority before sub-mission. Applicable original researchstudies should be reviewed by an in-stitutional review board (IRB).7 Thisreview shouldbedocumented inyourcover letter as well in the Materialsand Methods section, with an expla-nation if the study was consideredexempt. If your research is based ona publicly available data set approvedby your IRB for exemption, pleaseprovidedocumentationof this inyourcover letter by submitting theURL ofthe IRBweb site outlining the exemptdata sets or a letter from a representa-tive of the IRB. In addition, inserta sentence in the Materials andMethods section stating that the studywas approved or exempt from ap-proval. In all cases, the completename of the IRB should be providedin the manuscript.

G. Language-Editing Servicesfor AuthorsArticles submitted to the journalmustbe written with a basic level of En-glish competency. If you need assis-tance in this area, listed below area few companies who provide lan-guage and copyediting services. American Journal Experts: http://www.aje.com

BioScienceWriters: http://www.biosciencewriters.com

Boston BioEdit: http://www.bostonbioedit.com

Editage: http://www.editage.com Editorial Rx: http://www.editorialrx.com

Enago: http://www.enago.com ScienceDocs:http://www.sciencedocs.com

SPI Publisher Services: http://www.prof-editing.com

The Medical Editor: http://www.themedicaleditor.com

Textcheck:http://www.textcheck.com

Note that appearance in the list ofvendors does not represent endorse-ment by the publisher or journal.Authors are encouraged to in-vestigate each serviceon their own, aswell as seek out additional vendorsoffering similar services.

H. Permissions and ReleasesTables and figures should be original.The use of borrowed material (eg,lengthy direct quotations, tables, orfigures) is discouraged, but should itbe considered essential, written per-mission of the copyright holder mustbe obtained by the authors and creditto the original source indicated. Per-mission is also required for materialthat has been adapted or modifiedfrom another source. Both print andelectronic rights must be obtained.A template for use in obtainingpermission can be found at http://ong.editorialmanager.com. Authors mustinclude this documentation with thesubmitted manuscript (eg, by upload-ing scanned copies of forms or bye-mailing the forms to the editorialoffice). In addition, you must list anymaterial included in your submissionthat is not original or that you are notable to transfer copyright for in thespace provided under I.B on the firstpage of the author agreement form.

A signed consent form must beobtained from each patient describedin a case report and each patient whois identifiable in a photograph orvideo. A sample form is availableonline at http://edmgr.ovid.com/ong/accounts/release.pdf. It is preferable togive the patient the opportunity toread the manuscript. Please state inthe cover letter with your submittedmanuscript that you have obtaineda signed consent form and that thisform will be filed with your records.Unless the editorial office requeststhat you do so, please do not submitthe signed form to the journal. If youare not able to obtain a signature onthis form from the patient, guardian,or next-of-kin, please explain whythis is not possible.

I. PlagiarismPlagiarism is the act of presentingas new or original an idea orproduct derived from an existingsource.8 The editorial staff nowchecks all potentially acceptablemanuscripts for plagiarism by usingthe CrossCheck/iThenticate soft-ware, which compares the manu-script to material uploaded toCrossChecks own database, ar-ticles published on PubMed, andtext appearing on the Internet.Manuscripts that are to be rejectedusually are not checked for plagia-rism unless a reviewer has raisedconcerns about the manuscript.

J. Presentation at MeetingsThe journal will consider a com-plete report that follows pre-sentation at a scientific meeting (eg,abstract or poster). Researcherswho present their work at sucha meeting may discuss their pre-sentations with the media. How-ever, offering more detail about thestudy than was presented in theabstract or poster (eg, providingadditional data or copies of tablesand figures) is prohibited.9 Indicatesuch presentations on the title pageby providing the full name of themeeting, as well as the city, state,and dates. If you intend to presentdata or an abstract of your study ata future meeting, please indicatethis information in the cover letter.If at any point in the review, re-vision, or publication process youlearn that your abstract or data willbe presented at a future meeting,please inform the editorial office assoon as possible so that publicationof the manuscript can be delayed ifnecessary.

K. Previous SubmissionOriginal submissions will be consid-ered for publication with the un-derstanding that they are contributedsolely to Obstetrics & Gynecology. Ifa version of the manuscript has pre-viously been submitted for publica-tion toObstetrics &Gynecology, include

192 Instructions for Authors OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

comments from the peer reviewersand an indication of how the authorshave responded to these comments.If any of the material in the manu-script (other than an abstract of notmore than 300words) is submitted orplanned for publication elsewhere inany form (including electronic me-dia), or if the information appeared ina previous publication, identify theother submission in the cover letterand include a copy of that publica-tion. This does not apply to docu-mented materials from other sourcessuch as quotations, figures, andtables. Failure to comply with thisstipulationmay lead to a judgment ofredundant publication. Authorsfound responsible for redundantpublication may be barred fromsubmitting manuscripts for up to3 years; furthermore, a statementidentifying the nature and source ofthe redundant publication may beprinted in the journal.

L. Reporting GuidelinesResponsible reporting of researchstudies, which includes a complete,transparent, accurate and timely ac-count of what was done andwhat wasfound during a research study, is anintegral part of good research andpublication practice and not an op-tional extra. Obstetrics & Gynecologysupports initiatives aimed at improv-ing the reporting of health research.

We ask authors to use the follow-ing guidelines when drafting theirmanuscripts:

CONSORT4 (for reporting ran-domized controlled trials): Pleasesubmit a copy of the CONSORTChecklist, available at http://www.equator-network.org/, and indicatethe page number where the re-quired information is provided.

STROBE10,11 (for reporting obser-vational studies): Please submita copy of the STROBE Checklist,available at http://www.equator-network.org/, and indicate the pagenumber where the required infor-mation is provided.

PRISMA12 (for reporting meta-analyses and systematic reviewsof randomized controlled trials):Please submit a copy of thePRISMA Checklist, available athttp://www.equator-network.org/,and indicate the page numberwhere the required informationis provided.

STARD13 (for reporting studies ofdiagnostic accuracy): Please sub-mit a copy of the STARD Check-list, available at http://www.equator-network.org/, and indicatethe page number where the re-quired information is provided.

MOOSE14 (for reporting meta-analyses and systematic reviewsof observational studies): In yourcover letter, please describe howyou followed the MOOSE guide-lines, available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.283.15.2008.As noted above, we ask authors to

address all items recommended bythe guidelines (as aminimum); wherethis is not possible please provide anexplanation in the text to givea transparent accountof your study. Ifthere are items on the checklist thatyou cannot attest to, please itemizethese in your cover letter with an ex-planation. For manuscripts that re-quire reporting guidelines, a checklistor explanation in the cover lettermust accompany the submission.The manuscript will be returned tothe author if this information is notincluded in the initial submission.Adherence to recommended report-ing guidelines will facilitate review ofyour manuscript, increase the prob-ability of its successful publication,and improve the usability of researchfindings from your study in furtherresearch and clinical practice.

II. ARTICLE FORMATSSeveral types of articles can be sub-mitted for publication in Obstetrics &Gynecology: Original Research, CaseReports, SystematicReviews,CurrentCommentaries, Procedures and In-

struments, Personal Perspectives, andLetters to the Editor. Select articletypes, such as Editorials and ClinicalExpert Series articles, are solicited bythe editors. Stated page limits in II.AF include all numbered pages ina manuscript (ie, title page, prcis,abstract, text, references, tables,boxes, and figure legends). Authoragreement forms, checklists, the coverletter, and figures do not contribute tothe page limits. See also Table 1.

A. Original ResearchAn original research article is a full-length report of an original basic orclinical investigation. Length shouldnot exceed 22 manuscript pages(Table 1).

1) Abstract:Original research reportsshould have a structured abstract ofno more than 250 words, using thefollowing headings: Objective: Main question, objec-tive, or hypothesis (single phrasestarting with, for example, Toevaluate... or To estimate...)

Methods: Study design, partici-pants, outcome measures, and,in the case of a negative study,statistical power.

Results: Measurements expressedin absolute numbers and percen-tages, and when appropriate indi-cate relative risks or odds ratioswith confidence intervals andlevel of statistical significance;any results contained in the ab-stract should also be presentedin the body of the manuscript,tables, or figures.

Conclusion: Directly supported bydata, along with clinical implica-tions.

Clinical Trial Registration: Regis-try name, URL, and registrationnumber (if applicable).

2) Headings: Organize original re-search reports in a manner similar totheir structured abstract. Introduction:Orients the reader tothe problem(s) addressed by the


report, preferably in one page orless, and clearly states the pur-pose or objective of the research.Avoid a detailed literature re-view in this section.

Materials and Methods: Describesthe research methodology in suf-ficient detail so that others couldduplicate the work. This sectionshould state that an appropriateIRB approved the research (orthat the research was exemptfrom approval) and that the par-ticipants gave informed consent.In all cases, the complete nameof the IRB should be providedin the manuscript. Identify meth-ods of statistical analysis and,when appropriate, state the basis(including alpha and beta errorestimates) for their selection. Citeany statistical software programsused in the text. Express P valuesto no more than three decimal pla-ces. Indicate your studys power todetect statistical difference.

Results: Presents the findings inappropriate detail. Tables andfigures may be used, but takecare to minimize duplication be-tween text and tables or figures.Authors should report outcomedata as both absolute and relativeeffects since information pre-sented this way is much moreuseful for clinicians. Actual num-

bers and percentages should begiven in addition to odds ratiosor relative risk. When appropri-ate, number needed to treatfor benefits (NNTb) or harm(NNTh) should be supplied.15,16

Discussion: Begin with a descrip-tion of what your study found inrelation to the purpose or objec-tives as stated in the Introduc-tion. Describe rather than repeatresults given earlier. Your findingsshould be compared to previousstudies with explanations in caseswhere they differ, although a.complete review of the literatureis not necessary. Comment onthe limitations of your study.Clearly state the importance ofthese findings to clinicians and ac-tual patient care. Although somedegree of speculation as to the im-portance of the observations ispermissible, avoid making conclu-sions unrelated to the datapresented. Primacy claims pur-porting that your study is the firstor largest of its type should eitherbe supported by a description ofyour search strategy or omitted.A final summary is not necessary,as this information should be pro-vided in the abstract and the firstparagraph of the Discussion. Al-though topics that require futureresearch can be mentioned, it is

unnecessary to state that furtherresearch is needed. The Discus-sion should not exceed threepages in length.

B. Case ReportsCase reports are published twiceyearly as a supplement to theFebruary and August issues. A casereport is a brief description of up tothree cases of a particular conditionthat reports an unusual casepresentation or novel diagnosticor therapeutic approach. Lengthshould not exceed 8 manuscriptpages (Table 1). Write the case ina way that preserves the confi-dentiality of the participants. Thereport should have a clear purposeand teaching point; simply beingthe first case reported does notusually justify publication.

1) Abstract: Case reports shouldhave a structured abstract of nomore than 125 words, using the fol-lowing headings: Background: Importance of thesubject matter and specific pur-pose of the report.

Case(s): Summary of pertinentfeatures of the clinical findings,important laboratory abnormali-ties, treatment, and outcome.

Conclusion: Summary of the prin-cipal finding and why it is unique

Table 1. Manuscript Length At A Glance

Article Type Abstract Length Manuscript Word Count*Maximum Number

of AuthorsMaximum Numberof References

Original Research 250 words 5,500 words (;22 pages) NA 30Case Report 125 words 2,000 words (;8 pages) 4 8Systematic Review 300 words 6,250 words (;25 pages) 4 40Current Commentary 250 words 3,000 words (;12 pages) 4 12Procedures and Instruments 200 words 2,000 (;8 pages) 4 10Personal Perspectives NA 3,000 words (;12 pages) 4 NALetters to the Editor NA 350 words 4 5

;, approximately; NA, not applicable.* Manuscript length includes all numbered pages in a manuscript (ie, title page, prcis, abstract, text, references, tables, boxes, figure legends,

and appendixes). Manuscript pages should be double-spaced. Suggested limit. References are generally not needed in Personal Perspectives articles.


or worthy of mention, indicatingrelevance to clinical practice.

2) Headings: Case report articleshave three basic components: Introduction: Gives a brief back-ground about why the case is im-portant.

Case(s): Describes the case(s) ina narrative format and includesthe essential findings and patientmanagement.

Comment: Includes a brief reviewof the literature but focuses pri-marily on the clinical implica-tions of the case(s) presented.

C. Systematic ReviewsA systematic review article isa comprehensive review of pub-lications relating to a specific clini-cal subject accompanied by criticalanalysis and conclusions. Authorsshould include the following data-bases in their search for publications:MEDLINE and ClinicalTrials.gov(www.clinicaltrials.gov). The manu-script should not exceed 25 pages(Table 1). Review articlesmust followthe PRISMA12 or MOOSE14 guide-lines (http://ong.editorialmanager.com)and the appropriate checklists andflow diagrams must be submitted, asapplicable.

1) Abstract: Systematic review ar-ticles should have a structured ab-stract of no more than 300 words,using the following headings: Objective: Statement of purpose ofthe review.

Data Sources: Sources searched,including dates, terms, and con-straints.

Methods of Study Selection: Num-ber of studies reviewed and se-lection criteria.

Tabulation, Integration, and Results:Guidelines for extracting data,methods of correlating, and resultsof review.

Conclusion: Primary conclusionsand their clinical applications.

2) Headings: Review articles shouldbe organized in a manner similar totheir structured abstract. Introduction: Indicates why thetopic is important and states thespecific objective(s) of the review.

Sources: Identifies what wassearched and how; if a computer-ized system was used, specify thedates searched, the language (s)covered, and the search termsused.

Study Selection: Identifies the num-ber and nature of reports reviewed,the basis of any selection (ie, exclu-sion and inclusion criteria), and thereports in the final tabulation.

Results: Describes how observa-tions across studies were tabulatedand integrated into a cohesivewhole.

Conclusion: Includes what can beconcluded from the exercise,along with clinical implicationsand need for additional research.

D. Current CommentaryCurrentCommentary essays addressissues, opinions, experiences, orperspectives of clinical relevanceto the field of obstetrics and gynecol-ogy and obstetriciangynecologists.Length should not exceed 12 manu-script pages (Table 1). The abstractshouldbea singleparagraph that stateswhat was done, what was found, andwhat the findings mean. Headings arenotnecessary in thebodyof the article.

E. Procedures and InstrumentsProcedures and Instruments articlesdetail novel methods or applicationsof methods, treatments, inter-ventions, instruments, or applicationsof instruments for clinical care or re-search in obstetrics and gynecology.Length should not exceed 8 manu-script pages (Table 1). Authors arestrongly encouraged to includea video suitable for posting on theObstetrics & Gynecology web site.

1) Abstract: Procedures and Instru-ments articles should have a struc-

tured abstract of no more than 200words, using the following headings: Background: Information as to whythe technique may be important.

Instrument, Method, or Technique: Asummary description of what isbeing reported.

Experience: A summary of theauthors experience with the tech-nique.

Conclusion: A simple statement ofwhat can be concluded from thereport.

2) Headings: Procedures and Instru-ments articles have four components: Introduction: Outlines the need forthe new development.

Method or Technique: Describes theinnovation, usually with illustra-tions and video.

Experience: Reports experiencewith the technique and what thegeneral outcomes were.

Comment: Describes the implica-tions of the findings.

F. Personal PerspectivesPersonal Perspectives essays offerinsights into the practice of medi-cine, with an emphasis on the uni-que physicianpatient relationship.Essays from various viewpointsphysician, nurse, patientare wel-come. A short essay for light readingaddressing a topic pertinent to thediscipline, including humor or satire,is also appropriate for this section.Length should not exceed 12 manu-script pages (Table 1). Abstracts arenot included in this feature, andheadings are not needed in the bodyof the article.

G. Letters to the EditorLetters posing aquestionor challengeto an article appearing in Obstetrics &Gynecology within 6 weeks of the ar-ticles publication online will be con-sidered for publication. Lettersreceived after 6 weeks will rarely beconsidered.

Submit letters through the Inter-net at http://ong.editorialmanager.com


(Editorial Manager). Letters are lim-ited to a maximum of 350 words, in-cluding signatures and 5 references.A word count should be provided.The maximum number of authorspermitted is four, and a correspond-ing author should be designated. Allauthors full names, degrees, and af-filiations (including city, state, andcountry) should be included. Thecorresponding authors address, tele-phone number, and e-mail addressshould appear at the end of the letter.A signed author agreement form isrequired from all authors beforepublication.

Letters will be published at thediscretion of the Editor. The Editormay send the letter to the authors ofthe original paper so their commentsmay be published simultaneously.The Editor reserves the right to editand shorten letters.

III. Stand-Alone Video GalleryTheeditors encourage the submissionof videos for inclusion in the journalsstand-alone video player. These vid-eos will undergo review before beingposted online, and authors must signthe journals author agreement form.

If you are interested in submittinga video for consideration, please sub-mit your written proposal to the edi-torial office at [email protected], or call 202-314-2317.

IV. MANUSCRIPT STRUCTUREAll manuscripts must be submitted asMicrosoft Word (.doc or .docx) orOpen Document word processing(.odt) files. All manuscript pages (in-cluding references, tables, and figurelegends) must be double-spaced. Usea standard, 12 point typeface such asTimes New Roman or Arial. Top,bottom, and side margins should beset at 1 inch. The first authors nameshould appear in the header on eachpage, and each page and line must benumbered consecutively, beginningwith the title page. The use of sub-headings is discouraged in all but themost complex of papers. Footnotes

are not allowed except in tables orfigures. For direct quotations, ac-knowledge the author and source.Authors must include the following inthe manuscript file:

A. Title PageThe title page should list: The manuscript title, whichshould contain no more thana total of 100 characters (count-ing letters and spaces) and shouldnot be declarative; do not useabbreviations or commercialnames in the title.

All author name(s), institutional,corporate, or commercial affilia-tions, and major degree(s).

Corresponding authors name,address, telephone number, ande-mail address (the correspondingauthor will be responsible for allcorrespondence and other mat-ters relating to the manuscript).

Source(s) of the work or study. Disclosure of any source of fi-nancial support of the study, in-cluding provision of supplies orservices from a commercial orga-nization (see section I.E for moreinformation).

Disclosure of funding receivedfor this work from any of the fol-lowing organizations: NationalInstitutes of Health, WellcomeTrust, Howard Hughes MedicalInstitute, and other(s).

A short title of no more than 45characters (40 characters for casereports), including spaces, for useas a running foot.

Acknowledgments All financial support of thestudy must be acknowledged(refer to section I.E for moreinformation).

Any and all manuscript prepa-ration assistance (refer to sectionI.A for more information). Suchacknowledgments must identifythe entities that provided andpaid for this assistance, whetherdirectly or indirectly.

All persons who contributed tothe work reported in themanuscript, but not suffi-ciently to be authors, must beacknowledged (refer to sectionI.A for more information).

Obtain written permission fromall individuals named in theacknowledgments. Acknowl-edgment permissions need notbe submitted to the journal;rather, the corresponding au-thor should keep them on file.By signing the journals authoragreement form, the corre-sponding author verifies thatpermission has been obtainedfrom all named persons.

Authors should note if the pa-per was part of a presentationat a meeting and include thedates and location of themeeting in the acknowledg-ments (see section I.J).

Other acknowledgments, suchas advice or patient referral,are not permitted.

B. PrecisOn the second page, authors shouldprovide a prcis, for use in theTable of Contents. The prcis isa single sentence of no more than 25words, written in the present tenseand stating the conclusion(s) of thereport (ie, thebottom line).Theprcisshould be similar to the abstractsconclusion. Do not use commercialnames in the prcis.

C. AbstractAbstracts should appear on the thirdpage of the manuscript. All in-formation in the abstract should beconsistent with the information in thetext, tables, or figures. Avoid use ofcommercial names in the abstract.See Section II for more informationon how to format the abstract basedon article type.

D. TextThe main body of the article appearsafter the abstract. See Section II for


more information on how to formatthe body based on article type. Au-thors should also keep the followingstyle considerations in mind:

Abbreviations and Acronyms.Only standard abbreviations andacronyms are allowed. A selectedlist is available online athttp://ong.editorialmanager.com. Abbre-viations and acronyms cannot be usedin the titleorprcis.Abbreviationsandacronymsmust be spelled out the firsttime they are used in the abstract andagain in the body of the manuscript.

Commercial Names. The com-mercial name (with the generic namein parentheses) may be used once inthe body of the paper; use the genericname at each mention thereafter.

E. ReferencesUse references found published inpeer-reviewed publications that aregenerally accessible. Unpublisheddata, personal communications, sta-tistical programs, papers presented atmeetings and symposia, abstracts,letters, and manuscripts submittedfor publication cannot be listed in thereferences. Information from suchsources may be cited, if necessary, inthe text with the sources given inparentheses. Papers accepted bypeer-reviewed publications but notyet published (in press) are not ac-ceptable as references.

References are numbered consec-utively in the order in which theyappear in the text (note that refer-ences should not appear in the ab-stract) and listed double-spaced at theend of the manuscript. Identify cita-tions on the line within parentheses.

Authors are responsible for the ac-curacy of all references. Examples ofspecific types of references are avail-able online (http://ong.editorialmanager.com).

F. Figure LegendsEach piece of art should have an ac-companying legend. Group all leg-ends on a single, separate page of themanuscript, not on the figure itself. Asentence or two is usually sufficient.

Identify any abbreviations or sym-bols in the legend. In the case ofphotomicrographs, provide magnifi-cation and stain data.

G. TablesCreate tables using the table func-tion in word processing software.Do not use tabs and spaces to createcolumns.

Each table should be double-spaced on a separate page, num-bered by the Arabic system, andidentified by a clear and concise ti-tle at the top. Group tables at theend of the manuscript; do not in-tersperse within the text. Cite eachtable, in order by number, in themanuscript. Information should besufficiently detailed to allow thetable to be understood by itself.Report demographic informationin tabular form. Do not use a tablefor data that can be described ade-quately in two or three sentences inthe text. Standard rules of capitali-zation should be observed in thetables. Column totals should beverified and percentages shouldadd up to 100% (if they do not,specify a reason). If one column orrow of a table has the same entry foreach cell, it should probably bedeleted and the information beconveyed in a footnote. Accountfor any blank cells in a footnote. Forborrowed selections, the originalsource should appear as a footnote.

V. FIGURESIf the submission includes figures, artsaved in digital format should besubmitted. Figuresmust be submittedas individual files separate from thedocument file in Editorial Manager.

Refer to the digital art guidelines andartworkchecklist on the journalswebsite for more direction on digital artpreparation and examples of accept-able art (http://ong.editorialmanager.com). Source files, EPSor PDF files, orhigher-resolution TIFFs may be re-quested. Art that is low resolution,digitized, adapted from slides, ordownloaded from the Internet willnot reproducewell.Graphs created inMicrosoft Word, PowerPoint, orExcel should be submitted as .doc or.docx, .xls or .xlsx, or .ppt or .pptxfiles, but no graphs or images shouldbe pasted into PowerPoint or Word.Original, high-resolution or editablefiles are needed. Unacceptable artmaybe redrawnor removed from thearticle.

VI. SUPPLEMENTAL DIGITALCONTENTAuthors may submit supplementaldigital content to enhance their ar-ticles text and to be considered foronline-only posting.

Supplemental digital content mayinclude the following types of con-tent: text documents, graphs, tables,figures, graphics, illustrations, audio,and video.

A. Guidelines for SupplementalDigital ContentCite all supplemental digital contentconsecutively in the text. Citationsshould include the type of materialsubmitted, should be clearly labeledas Supplemental Digital Content,should include a sequential number,and shouldprovide abrief descriptionof the supplemental content. Providea legend for supplemental digitalcontent at the endof the text. List each

Supplemental Digital Content (SDC) File Types

Documents: .doc, .docx, or .odtTables: .doc, .docx, or .odtFigures, graphics, and illustrations: .tif, .eps, .ppt, .jpg, .pdf, or .gifAudio files:mp3 or .wavVideo files: .wmv, .swf, .flv, .mov, .qt, .avi, .mpg, .mpeg, or .mp4


legend in the order in which the ma-terial is cited in the text. The legendsmust be numbered to match the cita-tions from the text.

Include a title and a brief summaryof the content. For audio and videofiles, also include the author name,title, summary, videographer, partic-ipants, length (minutes), and size (MB).

Authors should ensure that pa-tients are not identifiable in the sup-plemental digital content unless theyobtain written consent from the pa-tients and document that they haveobtained consent in the cover lettersubmitted with the manuscript.

B. Submission of SupplementalDigital ContentWhen submitting supplemental digi-tal content online to Editorial Man-ager, the digital files should beuploaded along with your other sub-mission items.

C. File Size and TypesTo ensure a quality experience forthose viewing supplemental digitalcontent, the journals publisher sug-gests that authors submit supple-mental digital files no larger than10 MB each.

See the box for a list of acceptablefile types for supplemental digitalcontent.

For more information, please re-view the publishers requirements forsubmitting supplemental digital con-tent (http://links.lww.com/A142).

VII. COVER ARTFor each issue, the editors may selecta piece of art from the issue to beplacedon thecoverof the journal.Thisart may consist of informative illus-trations, diagrams, or clinical images.

Authors who believe that their sub-mission includes potential cover artshould note this fact in their cover let-ter. All potential cover art must besubmitted as TIFF files of not less than300 dpi.

REFERENCES1. International Committee of Medical

Journal Editors. Recommendations forthe conduct, reporting, editing, and pub-lication of scholarly work in medicaljournals: roles and responsibilities ofauthors, contributors, reviewers, editors,publishers, and owners: defining therole of authors and contributors. Avail-able at: http://www.icmje.org/roles_a.html. Retrieved November 8, 2013.

2. Altman DG, Moher D. Declaration oftransparency for each research article.BMJ 2013;347:f4796. Available at:http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f4796. Retrieved November 8, 2013.

3. Scott-Lichter D and the Editorial PolicyCommittee, Council of Science Editors.CSEs white paper on promoting integ-rity in scientific journal publications,2012 update. 3rd revised edition.Wheat Ridge (CO); 2012. Available at:http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid53331. Re-trieved November 6, 2013.

4. Schulz KF, Altman DG, Moher D, forthe CONSORT Group. CONSORT2010 statement: updated guidelines forreporting parallel group randomized tri-als. Obstet Gynecol 2010;115:106370.

5. DeAngelis CD, Drazen JM, Frizelle FA,Haug C, Hoey J, Horton R, et al. Clinicaltrial registration: a statement from theInternational Committee of Medical Jour-nal Editors. JAMA 2004;292:13634.

6. International Committee of MedicalJournal Editors. Frequently asked ques-tions: questions about clinical trials reg-istration. Available at http://www.icmje.org/faq_clinical.html. Retrieved Novem-ber 6, 2013.

7. U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices. Code of federal regulations.Title 45 Public welfare. Department ofHealth and Human Services. Part 46:Protection of human subjects. Availableat: http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/human-

subjects/guidance/45cfr46.html. RetrievedNovember 6, 2013.

8. Merriam-Websters collegiate dictionary.11th ed. Springfield (MA): Merriam-Webster, Incorporated; 2003.

9. International Committee of Medical Jour-nal Editors. Recommendations for theconduct, reporting, editing, and publica-tion of scholarly work in medical journals(ICMJE recommendations). Available at:http://www.icmje.org/urm_main.html.Retrieved November 6, 2013.

10. von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M,Pocock SJ, Gtzsche PC,Vandenbroucke JP, for the STROBEinitiative. The strengthening thereporting of observational studies inEpidemiology (STROBE) statement:guidelines for reporting observationalstudies. Lancet 2007;370:145357.

11. Vandenbroucke JP, von Elm E,Altman DG, Gtzsche PC, Mulrow CD,Pocock SJ, et al. Strengthening the report-ing of observational studies in epidemiol-ogy (STROBE): explanation andelaboration. PLoS Med 2007;4:e297.doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0040297

12. Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J,Altman DG, and the PRISMA Group.Preferred Reporting Items for System-atic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: ThePRISMA Statement. Ann Intern Med2009;151:2649.

13. Bossuyt PM, Reitsma JB, Bruns DE,Gatsonis CA, Glasziou PP, Irwig LM,et al. Towards complete and accuratereporting of studies of diagnostic accu-racy: The STARD Initiative. Standardsfor Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy.Ann Intern Med 2003;138:4044.

14. Stroup DF, Berlin JA, Morton SC,Olkin I, Williamson GD, Rennie D,et al. Meta-analysis of observational stud-ies in epidemiology: a proposal forreporting. Meta-analysis of ObservationalStudies in Epidemiology (MOOSE)group. JAMA 2000;283: 200812.

15. Nuovo J, Melnikow J, Chang D. Report-ing number needed to treat and absoluterisk reduction in randomized controlledtrials. JAMA 2002;287:28134.

16. Straus SE, Richardson WS, Glasziou P,Haynes RB. Evidence based medicine:how to practice and teach EBM. 3rd ed.Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2005.
