title: Trends in the scientific program of the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA) Annual Meeting over the past decade: the more things change, the more they stay the same.
abstract: Numerous clinical and basic science innovations have been presented at the AHPBA. The objective was to define changes in content and methodology of the scientific program over the past decade.
  
  
  
  AHPBA abstracts from the past 10-years were reviewed by 2 investigators (volume, content, origin, methodology).
  
  
  
  Of 2194 total AHPBA abstracts (2005-2015), the volume per year decreased over time (2005 = 283; 2015 = 177; p < 0.05). Contribution from the United States increased (USA = 65% (41-76%); p < 0.05). Topic categories were consistent across years (liver = 38% (30-46%), pancreas = 29% (27-48%), biliary = 13% (5-16%); p > 0.05). Amongst liver topics, primary tumors increased in volume (13% (8-18%)). Colorectal metastases were stable (19% (15-28%)) but more frequent than primary hepatic tumors overall (p < 0.05). Amongst pancreas topics, cancer and cysts increased significantly (30% (18-39%) and 4% (0-5%) respectively). While transplantation topics decreased (7% (3-12%), education abstracts increased (1% (0-3%; p < 0.05). Retrospective methodology was consistent amongst 83% (75-91%) of abstracts despite a decrease in prospective studies (9% (3-17%; p < 0.05). Basic science (11% (4-15%)) topics decreased, while large registry/database (9% (0-23%)) abstracts increased (p < 0.05).
  
  
  
  Abstracts related to primary hepatic tumors, pancreatic cancer, pancreatic cystic neoplasms, and education have increased over the past decade of the AHPBA. The decrease in prospective methodology combined with few randomized trials remains concerning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: ball.chad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chad G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: Elijah.Dixon@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Elijah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States. Electronic address: Charles.Vollmer@uphs.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Vollmer
mesh_terms: D000043:Abstracting and Indexing; D000818:Animals; D015706:Bibliometrics; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000639:trends*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003226:Congresses as Topic / Q000639:trends*; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000639:trends; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D005762:Gastroenterology / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D012042:Registries; D013997:Time Factors