Table 4 Associations between conflicts of interests (COIs) of authors of abstracts of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) presented at ARVO conferences during the years 2001–2004 and likelihood of publication of the RCTs, overall model (model 1), and interaction model, stratified by statistical significance of results for the main outcome (model 2)

COIs of first author (years 2002–2004 only)

N = 400

N = 87

N = 79

N = 234

 At least one COI

1.31 (1.04–1.64)

1.13 (0.75–1.72)

1.22 (0.82–1.81)

0.93 (0.63–1.37)

0.73

  Financial support*

1.50 (1.19–1.90)

1.44 (0.95–2.17)

1.37 (0.92–2.06)

1.11 (0.74–1.67)

0.75

  Personal finance interest*

1.17 (0.44–3.14)

–

–

–

-

  Employee of business with interest*

0.54 (0.23–1.28)

0.64 (0.20–2.03)

0.96 (0.04–3.92)

0.21 (0.03–1.38)

0.64

  Consultant of business with interest*

1.10 (0.78–1.55)

0.87 (0.41–1.86)

1.08 (0.58–2.02)

0.86 (0.52–1.40)

0.69

  Inventor/developer with patent*

0.88 (0.36–2.16)

–

–

–

-

  Received gifts within the past year*

1.42 (1.05–1.92)

1.47 (0.87–2.46)

1.49 (0.97–2.28)

0.91 (0.52–1.60)

0.92

COIs of last author (years 2002–2004 only)

N = 400

N = 87

N = 79

N = 234

 At least one COI

1.06 (0.82–1.37)

0.93 (0.59–1.47)

1.06 (0.67–1.70)

0.75 (0.50–1.14)

0.85

  Financial support*

0.84 (0.53–1.34)

0.73 (0.36–1.50)

0.81 (0.34–1.97)

0.58 (0.25–1.36)

0.96

  Personal finance interest*

–

–

–

–

-

  Employee of business with interest*

1.06 (0.77–1.47)

0.89 (0.45–1.75)

1.08 (0.58–2.02)

0.82 (0.51–1.31)

0.76

  Consultant of business with interest*

1.32 (0.86–2.03)

1.73 (1.13–2.64)

1.56 (0.85–2.87)

0.52 (0.15–1.76)

0.36

  Inventor/developer with patent*

0.94 (0.32–2.75)

–

–

–

-

  Received gifts within the past year*

1.18 (0.69–2.01)

1.52 (0.83–2.78)

1.01 (0.25–4.12)

0.76 (0.30–1.91)

0.70

 Not reported

1.18 (0.66–2.10)

–

–

–

-

 Not applicable (abstract had only one author)

1.00 (0.54–1.86)

1.64 (1.00–2.68)

1.28 (0.72–2.29)

1.03 (0.50–2.12)

0.68

COIs of any author (years 2001–2004)

N = 513

N = 111

N = 117

N = 285

 At least one COI

1.13 (0.93–1.38)

1.01 (0.71–1.45)

1.09 (0.77–1.56)

0.81 (0.59–1.11)

0.72

  Financial support*

1.16 (0.93–1.45)

1.02 (0.68–1.53)

1.18 (0.82–1.71)

0.81 (0.55–1.18)

0.83

  Personal finance interest*

0.74 (0.24–2.31)

–

–

–

-

  Employee of business with interest*

1.07 (0.82–1.38)

0.99 (0.62–1.58)

1.13 (0.66–1.94)

0.80 (0.55–1.17)

0.87

  Consultant of business with interest*

1.18 (0.91–1.52)

0.94 (0.52–1.69)

1.25 (0.86–1.81)

0.83 (0.55–1.25)

0.68

  Inventor/developer with patent*

0.86 (0.43–1.71)

–

–

–

-

  Received gifts within the past year*

1.35 (1.05–1.72)

1.53 (1.03–2.27)

1.36 (0.90–2.05)

0.95 (0.64–1.42)

0.85