Cappell Mitchell S, Davis Michael
Division of Gastroenterology, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA.
Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 May;103(5):1065-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2007.01767.x.
To determine whether the relative American contribution to gastroenterology research, as determined by authorship in journals, decreased from 1980 to 2005.
Country of residence for authors was manually determined for 8,251 articles, encompassing every gastroenterologic article published in 1980 and 2005 in nine gastroenterology and four leading medical journals (8 American and 5 European journals). Country of residence was also determined for all editorial board members for the same years in the same journals.
In all eight analyzed American journals, the relative frequency of non-American authors significantly and sharply increased from 1980 to 2005, and of American authors correspondingly decreased. The effect was invariant: (a) regardless of journal field: general medicine (e.g., N Engl J Med, from 10.1% in 1980 to 27.2% in 2005, odds ratio [OR] 3.34, OR confidence interval [CI] 2.40-4.62, P < 0.0001) versus general gastroenterology (e.g., Am J Gastroenterol, from 20.8% in 1980 to 51.9% in 2005, OR 4.29, OR CI 2.81-6.55, P < 0.0001); (b) regardless of journal gastroenterology subspecialty (e.g., Hepatology vs Endoscopy); (c) regardless of journal circulation: high circulation (e.g., Ann Intern Med, OR 3.50, OR CI 2.05-5.96, P < 0.0001) versus lower circulation (e.g., J Clin Gastroenterol, OR 6.88, OR CI 2.86-16.5, P < 0.0001); (d) regardless of journal impact factor: high impact (e.g., N Engl J Med, see above) versus lower impact (e.g., Dig Dis Sci, OR 3.06, OR CI 2.08-4.51, P < 0.0001); (e) regardless of article topic within a journal (e.g., colon vs upper gastrointestinal tract); (f) regardless of article length within a journal; (g) regardless of number of authors per article or order of authorship; and (h) regardless of whether international representation on the journal's editorial board increased (e.g., Am J Gastroenterol) or decreased (J Clin Gastroenterol) from 1980 to 2005. Contrariwise, in three of five analyzed European journals, the opposite effect occurred: the relative frequency of non-American authors statistically significantly decreased from 1980 to 2005 (e.g., Aliment Pharmacol Ther, from 87.9% in 1980 to 75.9% in 2005, OR 0.43, OR CI 0.20-0.94, P < 0.033), and of Americans authors correspondingly increased. The same trend generally held for the editorial boards of analyzed journals: the relative frequency of non-American board members significantly increased in five American journals (e.g., Am J Gastroenterol, from 4.2% in 1980 to 31.3% in 2005, OR 10.5, OR CI 1.68-63.5, P= 0.006), and decreased in all five analyzed European journals. Interstate and transnational collaborations (coauthorship) increased in publications from 1980 to 2005 (e.g., transnational, from 2.8% in 1980 to 14.1% in 2005 in N Engl J Med, OR 5.62, OR CI 3.25-9.73, P < 0.0001).
From 1980 to 2005, American representation in American gastroenterologic journals significantly declined, whereas American representation in European gastroenterologic journals moderately increased. The latter finding, together with increased transnational collaboration and increased international representation in editorial boards, suggests that increasing globalization of information, partly due to computers and the Internet, may be an important etiologic factor. This may result in an improving quality of research performed outside America. Other potential etiologic factors include improving standard of living outside America and increasing clinical volume of academic gastroenterologists in America.
通过期刊作者情况来确定1980年至2005年期间美国在胃肠病学研究中的相对贡献是否下降。
人工确定了8251篇文章作者的居住国，这些文章涵盖了1980年和2005年发表在9种胃肠病学杂志和4种主要医学杂志（8种美国杂志和5种欧洲杂志）上的每一篇胃肠病学文章。还确定了同一年份这些杂志所有编辑委员会成员的居住国。
在所有8种分析的美国杂志中，1980年至2005年期间非美国作者的相对比例显著且急剧增加，而美国作者的比例相应下降。这种影响是不变的：（a）无论杂志领域：普通医学（如《新英格兰医学杂志》，从1980年的10.1%升至2005年的27.2%，优势比[OR]3.34，OR置信区间[CI]2.40 - 4.62，P < 0.0001）与普通胃肠病学（如《美国胃肠病学杂志》，从1980年的20.8%升至2005年的51.9%，OR 4.29，OR CI 2.81 - 6.55，P < 0.0001）；（b）无论杂志胃肠病学亚专业（如肝病学与内镜学）；（c）无论杂志发行量：高发行量（如《内科学年鉴》，OR 3.50，OR CI 2.05 - 5.96，P < 0.0001）与低发行量（如《临床胃肠病学杂志》，OR 6.88，OR CI 2.86 - 16.5，P < 0.0001）；（d）无论杂志影响因子：高影响因子（如《新英格兰医学杂志》，见上文）与低影响因子（如《消化疾病科学》，OR 3.06，OR CI 2.08 - 4.51，P < 0.0001）；（e）无论杂志内文章主题（如结肠与上消化道）；（f）无论杂志内文章长度；（g）无论每篇文章作者数量或作者顺序；以及（h）无论1980年至2005年期间杂志编辑委员会的国际代表性是增加（如《美国胃肠病学杂志》）还是减少（《临床胃肠病学杂志》）。相反，在5种分析的欧洲杂志中的3种中，出现了相反的情况：1980年至2005年期间非美国作者的相对比例在统计学上显著下降（如《营养药理学与治疗学》，从1980年的87.9%降至2005年的75.9%，OR 0.43，OR CI 0.20 - 0.94，P < 0.033），而美国作者的比例相应增加。分析杂志的编辑委员会通常也有相同趋势：5种美国杂志中非美国编委的相对比例显著增加（如《美国胃肠病学杂志》，从1980年的4.2%升至2005年的31.3%，OR 10.5，OR CI 1.68 - 63.5，P = 0.006），而在所有5种分析的欧洲杂志中则下降。1980年至2005年期间出版物中的州际和跨国合作（共同作者）有所增加（如跨国合作，在《新英格兰医学杂志》中从1980年的2.8%升至2005年的14.1%，OR 5.62，OR CI 3.25 - 9.73，P < 0.0001）。
1980年至2005年期间，美国在本国胃肠病学杂志中的代表性显著下降，而在美国在欧洲胃肠病学杂志中的代表性适度增加。后一发现，连同跨国合作增加和编辑委员会中国际代表性增加，表明部分由于计算机和互联网导致的信息全球化加剧可能是一个重要的病因因素。这可能导致美国以外地区研究质量的提高。其他潜在病因因素包括美国以外地区生活水平的提高以及美国学术胃肠病学家临床工作量的增加。
