[2002: a good year for turning approach to COPD around]

A study of the bibliometry and areas of the research groups of Archivos de Bronconeumología (2003-2007)

INTRODUCTION

Scientific cooperation is essential for the advance of biomedical research. Scientists set up informal groups to work together on common issues, who are the main units in the research funding system. Bibliometric and Social Network Analysis methods allow informal groups in scientific papers to be identified and characterised. The objective of the study is to identify research groups in Archivos de Bronconeumología between 2003 and 2007 period with the aim of characterizing their scientific collaboration patterns and research areas.

METHODS

Co-authorships, institutional collaboration relationships and the main research areas of papers published in Archivos de Bronconeumología have been identified. Co-authorship networks and institutional collaboration networks have been constructed by using Pajek software tool.

RESULTS

A total of 41 research groups involving 171 investigators have been identified. The Collaboration Index for articles was 5.59 and the Transcience Index was 73.11%. There was institutional collaboration in 60.33% of papers. The collaboration between institutions of the same region prevails (41.03%), followed by collaborations between departments, services or units of the same institution (39.74%), inter-regional collaboration (14,97%) and international collaboration (6.83%). A total of 83.03% of articles were cited. The main research areas covered by groups were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung neoplasm, bronchogenic carcinoma, smoking and pulmonary embolism.

CONCLUSIONS

The scientific production of a large number of Respiratory System Spanish research groups is published in Archivos de Bronconeumología. A notable collaboration and citation rate has been observed. Nevertheless, it is still essential to encourage inter-regional and international collaboration.

[Pneumonia awareness year, 2004: scientific impact through publications in Archivos de Bronconeumología]

Pneumonia is a common and potentially serious infectious disease. Morbidity and mortality rates continue to be high in spite of major advances and steady progress in diagnosis and treatment. The economic impact of the disease is also great. It is therefore necessary to enlist the public, primary care and emergency physicians, and public policy administrators to join forces to treat and prevent pneumonia for the common good. The annual incidence of pneumonia in the population over the age of 14 years is 1.6 to 2.6 episodes/1000 inhabitants. The mortality rate is 14.1 per 100,000 inhabitants, and the associated costs are 115 million euros annually. The RESPIRA Foundation and the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) declared 2004 to be pneumonia awareness year with the aim of coordinating efforts to raise awareness, distribute information, and foster debate.

[Evaluation of a home hospitalization program in patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

OBJECTIVE

We carried out a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a home hospitalization (HH) program for patients hospitalized for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients who were clinically stable and had stable arterial blood gases were randomized to the conventional hospitalization group or the HH group.

RESULTS

Of the 88 patients evaluated, 40 (20 in each group) were enrolled. No differences were observed in baseline characteristics, in clinical recovery, or arterial blood gases between the 2 groups at discharge. At 1-month follow up there were no differences in mortality or in the number of readmissions. The mean length of hospitalization in patients with HH was 9.2 days (4 days in hospital and 5 days at home), compared to 12.2 days in patients with conventional hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that a hospital-supervised HH program including the participation of pneumologists and nursing staff allows for the recovery of patients hospitalized for exacerbation of COPD who have stable symptoms and arterial blood gases with no increase in the rate of readmission, relapse, or therapeutic failure.