Bain CR, Myles PS. "Relationship between journal impact factor and levels of evidence in anaesthesia " Anaesthesia and Intensive Care 33(5):567-570 October 2005

[Eugene Garfield]

Paul S. Myles : e-mail : p.myles at alfred.org.au


Title: Relationship between journal impact factor and levels of evidence in
anaesthesia

Author(s): Bain CR, Myles PS

Source: ANAESTHESIA AND INTENSIVE CARE 33 (5): 567-570 OCT 2005

Document Type: Article    Language: English
Cited References: 24      Times Cited: 1

Abstract: Evidence-based medicine uses a hierarchy of publication types
according to their vulnerability to bias. A widely used measure of
journal "quality" is its impact factor; which describes the citation rate
of its publications. We investigated the relationship between impact factor
for eight anaesthesia journals and publication type with respect to their
level of evidence 1-4 using Spearman rank correlation (rho). There were
1418 original publications during 2001 included in the analysis. The number
(%) of publication types according to evidence-based medicine level were:
level 1: 6 (0.4%), level 2: 533 (38%) level 3: 329 (23%), level 4:550
(39%). There was no correlation between journal ranking according to impact
factor and publication type (rho = -0. 03, P = 0.25). The correlation
between journal rank and the proportion of publications that were
randomized trials was -0.35 (P < 0.001). The correlation between journal
rank and number of publications was 0.65 (P < 0.007). The con-elation
between journal rank and number of level I or 2 studies was 0.58 (P <
0.001). The overall level of evidence published in anaesthesia journals was
high. Journal rank according to impact factor is related to the number of
publications, but not the proportion of publications that are evidence-
based medicine level 1 or 2.

Addresses: Myles PS (reprint author), Alfred Hosp, Dept Anaesthesia & Pain
Management, Commercial Rd, Melbourne, Vic 3004 Australia
Alfred Hosp, Dept Anaesthesia & Pain Management, Melbourne, Vic 3004
Australia
Monash Univ, Dept Anaesthesia, Melbourne, Vic 3004 Australia
Monash Univ, Dept Epidemiol & Prevent Med, Melbourne, Vic 3004 Australia
NHMRC, Ctr Clin Res Excellence, Canberra, ACT Australia

Publisher: AUSTRALIAN SOC ANAESTHETISTS, P O BOX 600, EDGECLIFF, NSW 2021,
AUSTRALIA

IDS Number: 987HU

ISSN: 0310-057X

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