Barbui C, Cipriani A, Malvini L, Tansella M. "Validity of the impact factor of journals as a measure of randomized controlled trial quality " JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY 67 (1): 37-40 JAN 2006

[Eugene Garfield]

E-mail Addresses:

Corrado Barbui :  corrado.barbui at univr.it


Title: Validity of the impact factor of journals as a measure of randomized
controlled trial quality

Author(s): Barbui C, Cipriani A, Malvini L, Tansella M

Source: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHIATRY 67 (1): 37-40 JAN 2006

Document Type: Article    Language: English
Cited References: 20      Times Cited: 0

Abstract:
Objective: To assess whether the impact factor, a measure of the frequency
with which journal articles are cited in the scientific literature, is a
proxy measure of the quality of articles reporting the results of
randomized controlled trials.

Method: The quality of trials included in an ongoing Cochrane review
concerned with the antidepressant fluoxetine was assessed using the
Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety, and Neurosis quality assessment
instrument, the Jadad scale, and the quality criterion of the Cochrane
Collaboration Handbook. Journal impact factors were extracted from the
Journal Citation Report.

Results: A total of 131 articles reported results from 132 clinical trials
comparing fluoxetine with other antidepressants. The relationship between
trial quality and the impact factor Of journals where these studies were
published, stratified by period of publication, revealed that journals with
impact factors above 4 points published only trials with above-average
overall quality ratings, while journals with impact factors below 4 points
published both high- and low-quality trials. The Jadad scale revealed
similar quality in trials published in journals with high, medium, and low
impact factors (Pearson chi(2) = 0.298, p = .861), and the quality
criterion of the Cochrane Collaboration Handbook showed unclear
randomization in the majority of trials and in all 15 trials published in
high-impact factor journals (Pearson chi(2) = 4.678, p = .096).

Conclusion: The impact factor of journals is not a valid measure of
randomized controlled trial quality.

KeyWords Plus: ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUG TRIALS; METAANALYSES; FLUOXETINE
Addresses: Barbui C (reprint author), Univ Verona, Sect Psychiat & Clin
Psychol, Dept Med & Publ Hlth, Policlin GB Rossi, Verona, I-37134 Italy
Univ Verona, Sect Psychiat & Clin Psychol, Dept Med & Publ Hlth, Policlin
GB Rossi, Verona, I-37134 Italy

E-mail Addresses: corrado.barbui at univr.it

Publisher: PHYSICIANS POSTGRADUATE PRESS, P O BOX 240008, MEMPHIS, TN 38124
USA
Subject Category: PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL; PSYCHIATRY; PSYCHIATRY
IDS Number: 009ZA

ISSN: 0160-6689

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