ABS: Trilla, A comparative analysis of articles published by Spanish authors (1993-1997) in biomedical journals with high impact factor

[Gretchen Whitney]

E-Mail Address: A. Trilla : atrilla at clinic.ub.es

TITLE:  A comparative analysis of articles published by Spanish
authors (1993-1997) in biomedical journals with high impact factor
AUTHOR: Trilla A, Aymerich M, Giol M, Carne X, Asenjo MA, Rodes J
JOURNAL: MEDICINA CLINICA 114: (16) 609-613 APR 29 2000

Document type: Article    Language: Spanish    Cited References: 14
Times Cited: 0

Abstract:
BACKGROUND: To identify the Spanish scientific production amongst different
areas of clinical knowledge, and to
compare it with those of five other European Union countries.

METHOD: Review of MEDLlNE(R) data base, for the period 1993-1997. Search
limited to four journals, selected,
for 10 different medical specialities (Cardiology, Endocrinology, infectious
Diseases, Gastroenterology-Hepatoloty,
Haematology, Nephrology, Pneumology, Neurology, Oncology, Rheumathology).
Articles published by authors from
Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and Spain. Journals included
in the Internal Medicine subject
classification were independently analysed. Data were also related with
several econometric indexes.

RESULTS: A total of 1.763 original articles published by Spanish authors
were identified in the journal's sample over the analysed period (2.08
articles per 100 all published articles). Spain contributes to the total
achieved by the six European countries analysed with 9.07 articles per 100
published articles. Gastroenterology-Hepatology was the medical specialty
which has more articles published by Spanish authors (total: 338 articles;
4.15 articles/100 published articles); and Oncology the one with less
articles published (1.26 articles/100 published articles). The mean IF
value per journal by article is highest for Gastroenterology-Hepatology
(4.86 FI/article) and lowest for Pneumology (2.42 FI/article). Spain is
the last amongst all six European countries analysed in Endocrinology,
Oncology and Haematology, and second to last in all others except for
Gastroenterology-Hepatology (4(th) place). Mean cost for each article
produced by Spanish authors in the analyzed sample was 0.49 US $ according
the health expenditures per capita, and 0.07 US $ according the R+D
expenditures per capita. Data from the independent analysis of Internal
Medicine journals also showed that Gastroenterology and Hepatology is the
subspeciality with a higher number of papers published in those journals.

CONCLUSIONS: All efforts devoted to improve the quality of Spanish
biomedical research, specially in clinical research, had produced
positive, but uneven, results, measured by the number and impact factor of
original articles published in top ranked biomedical journals. The overall
distribution of high impact factor scientific production by specialities
is poor when compared to the European Union countries included in the
analysis. Those results showed several improvement opportunities. Besides
increasing the overall budget for R+D, its is likely that the time has
come for backing the highest quality Spanish biomedical research, the one
that offers greater and better chances for achieving scientifically valid
results, and is published in high impact factor biomedical journals.

Author Keywords:
articles, biomedical journals, Spain

Addresses:
Trilla A, Univ Barcelona, CEASP, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed
August Pi & Sunyer, IDIBAPS, Villarroel
170, E-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
Univ Barcelona, CEASP, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed August Pi &
Sunyer, IDIBAPS, E-08036
Barcelona, Spain.
Univ Barcelona, Unidad Hemopatol, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed
August Pi & Sunyer, IDIBAPS,
E-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
Univ Barcelona, Serv Farmacol Clin, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed
August Pi & Sunyer, IDIBAPS,
E-08036 Barcelona, Spain.
Univ Barcelona, Direcc Tecn, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed August
Pi & Sunyer, IDIBAPS, E-08036
Barcelona, Spain.
Univ Barcelona, Direcc Invest, Hosp Clin Barcelona, Inst Invest Biomed
August Pi & Sunyer, IDIBAPS, E-08036
Barcelona, Spain.

Publisher:
EDICIONES DOYMA S/L, BARCELONA

IDS Number:
318NR

Cited Author            Cited Work                Volume      Page      Year

 *CICYT                IND SIST ESP CIENC T                             1999

 *EU                   EUR REP SCI TECHN 1                              1995
 *EUR                  STAT BREF RECH DEV                               1996
 ABELSON PH            SCIENCE                      266       951       1994
 AHRENS EH             J INTERN MED                 235       293      1994
 BALTER M              SCIENCE                          267      1589
1995
 CAMI J                MED CLIN-BARCELONA         109       481      1997
 CAMI J                MED CLIN-BARCELONA         109       515      1997
 GILLET R              BRIT MED J                       306      1627
1993
 LENFANT C             CIRCULATION                      90      2192
1994
 PINERO JML            MED CLIN-BARCELONA   102       104       1994
 PORTER JE             SCIENCE                          268      1827
1995
 RODES J               MED CLIN-BARCELONA      113       379      1999
 RODES J               SALUT CATALUNYA                2        42      1995

-------------------------------------------------------------
(c) ISI, Reprinted with permission
Please visit their website at www.isinet.com
-------------------------------------------------------------