Guideline Comparison: Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

All article types should have a concise, informative title that contains no brand names.

Including address, academic qualifications and job titles of all authors, as well as telephone number and email address of the author for correspondence on a separate cover sheet as the peer reviewers will not be aware of the authors’ identity.

Please note that only the address of the first author of the article will appear on Medline/PubMed, not necessarily the corresponding author.

Maximum 200 words.  

The aim of the abstract is to draw in the interested reader and provide an accurate reflection of the content of the manuscript. We therefore request the following structure is followed for special report articles:

Introduction: Authors are required to describe the significance of the guidelines under discussion.
Areas covered: Authors are required to describe the guidelines being discussed and compared.
Expert Opinion: Authors are required to summarize briefly their Expert Opinion section.

References must not be included in the abstract.

A list of 5-8 keywords, in alphabetical order, is required to assist indexers in cross-referencing. The keywords will encompass the therapeutic area, mechanism(s) of action, key compounds and so on.

Please provide, in the form of a bulleted list (five or six points), statements covering the key aspects of the manuscript.

Introduction:
Identifying the guidelines being discussed and the significance of the comparison.

Body:
Body of the special report manuscript covering the main similarities and differences between the two (or more) guidelines being compared using numbered subsections, and at least one concise table. A section on ‘Point-of-care algorithms’ should be included which should contain an ultra-summarized visual based on the published guidelines being discussed.

Conclusion:
The conclusion for all articles should contain a brief summary of the data presented in the article. Please note that this section is meant to be distinct from, and appear before, the ‘Expert Opinion’ section.

500 words (included in overall word count).

To distinguish the articles published in the Expert Collection (Expert Review and Expert Opinion) series, authors must provide an additional section entitled ‘Expert Opinion’. This section affords authors the opportunity to provide their interpretation of the data presented in the article and discuss the developments that are likely to be important in the future, and the avenues of research likely to become exciting as further studies yield more detailed results. The intention is to go beyond a conclusion and should not simply summarize the manuscript.

Authors should answer at least two of the following:

1. How could the differences in the guidelines discussed within the manuscript impact real world outcomes (diagnosis, treatment guidelines, effectiveness, economics, drug utilization etc.)?
2. What are the key gaps in the guidelines being compared and how can current problems and limitations be solved? Are there any technical, technological, or methodical limitations that prevent research from advancing as it could?
3. What potential does further research hold to improve guidelines? Is there a definitive end-point?
4. How will the field evolve in the future? E.g. How might guidelines change in five or ten years?

This should briefly compare the guidelines being discussed side by side. Please compare 10-15 main aspects. View the concise comparison table example.

Reference to unpublished data should be kept to a minimum and authors must obtain a signed letter of permission from cited persons to use unpublished results or personal communications in the manuscript.

Important references should be highlighted with a one/two-star system and brief annotations should be given (see the journal’s Instructions for Authors page for examples and for a more detailed description of our referencing style).

Up to 5 figures and/or 5 tables are permitted. For further information, please see our formatting guide. Permission to reproduce previously published figures should be sought in writing by the authors, preferably prior to submission, and any permission documentation (licences, written approval etc.) should be uploaded alongside the manuscript.