Minnerup, J; Wersching, H; Diederich, K; et al.2010. Methodological quality of preclinical stroke studies is not required for publication in high-impact journals. JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM 30 (9): 1619-1624

[Eugene Garfield]

Minnerup, J; Wersching, H; Diederich, K; Schilling, M; Ringelstein, EB; Wellmann, 
J; Schabitz, WR. 2010. Methodological quality of preclinical stroke studies is not 
required for publication in high-impact journals. JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD 
FLOW AND METABOLISM 30 (9): 1619-1624.

Author Full Name(s): Minnerup, Jens; Wersching, Heike; Diederich, Kai; 
Schilling, Matthias; Ringelstein, Erich Bernd; Wellmann, Juergen; Schaebitz, 
Wolf-Ruediger

Language: English
Document Type: Article
Author Keywords: impact factor; preclinical studies; stroke; study quality; 
translation

KeyWords Plus: FOCAL CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA; CLINICAL-TRIALS; ANIMAL-
MODELS; METAANALYSIS; EFFICACY; BIAS; ANESTHESIA; RECOMMENDATIONS; 
ARTICLES; NXY-059

Abstract: Omitting quality characteristics in animal stroke studies leads to an 
overestimation of the efficacy of candidate stroke drugs. Nevertheless, the 
methodological quality of preclinical stroke studies is often limited. As publishing 
of research results in high-impact journals is an important motivation for 
scientists, we analyzed whether study quality predicts high-impact publishing. 
Animal stroke studies of neuroprotective drugs that were recently investigated 
in clinical phase II/III trials were included in the analysis. Data on the study 
quality and other important study characteristics were extracted. Regression 
analyses were performed to estimate the effect of the study characteristics on 
the journal's impact factor. We identified 117 studies that investigated 12 
different drugs. Study quality was not associated with the impact factor before 
(beta = -0.2, P = 0.50) and after adjustment for other study characteristics 
(beta = -0.3, P = 0.19). There was a significant association of the number of 
investigated mechanisms and applied techniques with the impact factor (beta = 
1.4, P < 0.0001). Our findings show that the quality of animal experimental 
stroke studies is not relevant for publishing in high-impact journals. The major 
predictor for accepting preclinical stroke studies in high-impact journals is the 
complexity of the investigation into a stroke drug's mode of action. Journal of 
Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism (2010) 30, 1619-1624; 
doi:10.1038/jcbfm.2010.74; published online 2 June 2010

Addresses: [Minnerup, Jens] Univ Munster, Klin & Poliklin Neurol, Dept Neurol, D-
48149 Munster, Germany; [Wersching, Heike; Wellmann, Juergen] Univ Munster, 
Inst Epidemiol & Social Med, D-48149 Munster, Germany; [Schaebitz, Wolf-
Ruediger] EVK Bielefeld, Dept Neurol, Bielefeld, Germany

Reprint Address: Minnerup, J, Univ Munster, Klin & Poliklin Neurol, Dept Neurol, 
Albert Schweitzer Str 33, D-48149 Munster, Germany.

E-mail Address: minnerup at uni-muenster.de
ISSN: 0271-678X
DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2010.74