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Chien PFW, Elsuity MA, Rashwan MM, Núñez-Núñez M, Khan KS, Zamora-Romero J, Bueno-Cavanillas A, Fawzy M. Post-publication research integrity concerns in randomized clinical trials: A scoping review of the literature. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2024. [PMID: 38571333 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.15488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-publication handling of integrity concerns in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is a contentious matter. OBJECTIVES We undertook a scoping systematic review to map the literature regarding post-publication integrity issues in RCTs. SEARCH STRATEGY AND SELECTION CRITERIA Following prospective registration (https://osf.io/pgxd8) we initially searched PubMed and Scopus but subsequently extended it to include the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases without language, article type or publication time restriction until November 2022. Reviewers independently selected published articles covering any aspect of post-publication research integrity concerns in RCTs. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The study findings grouped within domains relating to issues concerning post-publication integrity were extracted in duplicate, verified by a third reviewer, and then tabulated. MAIN RESULTS The initial search captured 3159 citations, of which 89 studies were included in the review. Cross-sectional studies constituted the majority of included studies (n = 34, 38.2%), followed by systematic reviews (n = 10, 11.2%), methodology reviews/studies (n = 9, 10.1%) and other types of descriptive studies (n = 8, 9.0%). A total of 21 articles (23.6%) covered the domain on general issues, 25 (28.1%) in the journal's instructions and policies domain, eight (9.0%) in the editorial and peer review domain, one (1.1%) in the correspondence and complaints (post-publication peer review) domain, 12 (13.5%) in the investigation for concerns domain, six (6.7%) in the post-investigation decisions and sanctions domain, none in the critical appraisal guidance domain, five (5.6%) in the integrity assessment in systematic reviews domain, and 26 (29.2%) in the recommendations for future research domain. A total of 12 of the selected articles (13.5%) covered two (n = 9) or three (n = 3) different domains. CONCLUSIONS Various research integrity domains and issues covering post-publication aspects of RCT integrity were captured and gaps were identified, mostly related with the necessary implications for all stakeholders to improve research transparency. There is an urgent need for a multistakeholder consensus towards creating specific statements for addressing post-publication integrity concerns in RCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick F W Chien
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, RCSI and UCD Malaysia Campus, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Mohamad A Elsuity
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
- Ibnsina, Amshaj & Ajyal IVF Centers, Sohag, Egypt
| | - Mosab M Rashwan
- Department of Forensic Medicine & Clinical Toxocology, Faculty of Medine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt
| | - María Núñez-Núñez
- Pharmacy Department, University, Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
| | - Khalid S Khan
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Zamora-Romero
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
- Clinical Biostatistics Unit, Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Aurora Bueno-Cavanillas
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Granada Faculty of Medicine, Granada, Spain
| | - Mohamed Fawzy
- IbnSina (Sohag), Banon (Assiut), Qena (Qena), Amshag (Sohag) IVF Facilities, Sohag, Assiut, Qena, Egypt
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Ho SYC, Chow JC, Chou W. Evaluating the dependability of reference-driven citation forecasts amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A bibliometric analysis across diverse journals. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e36219. [PMID: 38241539 PMCID: PMC10798765 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000036219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The journal impact factor significantly influences research publishing and funding decisions. With the surge in research due to COVID-19, this study investigates whether references remain reliable citation predictors during this period. METHODS Four multidisciplinary journals (PLoS One, Medicine [Baltimore], J. Formos. Med. Assoc., and Eur. J. Med. Res.) were analyzed using the Web of Science database for 2020 to 2022 publications. The study employed descriptive, predictive, and diagnostic analytics, with tools such as 4-quadrant radar plots, univariate regressions, and country-based collaborative maps via the follower-leading cluster algorithm. RESULTS Six countries dominated the top 20 affiliations: China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, and Brazil. References remained strong citation indicators during the COVID-19 period, except for Eur. J. Med. Res. due to its smaller sample size (n = 492) than other counterparts (i.e., 41,181, 12,793, and 1464). Three journals showed higher network density coefficients, suggesting a potential foundation for reference-based citation predictions. CONCLUSION Despite variations among journals, references effectively predict article citations during the COVID-19 era, underlining the importance of network density. Future studies should delve deeper into the correlation between network density and citation prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Yu-Chieh Ho
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Julie Chi Chow
- Department of Pediatrics, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Willy Chou
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chiali Chi-Mei Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung San Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
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Smith EMR, Rakestraw C, Farroni JS. Research integrity during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of health science researchers at an Academic Health Science Center. Account Res 2023; 30:471-492. [PMID: 35038939 PMCID: PMC9356114 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2022.2029704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
During the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, a complex mix of political pressure, social urgency, public panic, and scientific curiosity has significantly impacted the context of research and development. The goal of this study is to understand if and how researchers are shifting their practices and adjusting norms and beliefs regarding research ethics and integrity. We have conducted 31 interviews with Health Science Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch which were then analyzed using integrated deductive and inductive coding. We categorized participant views into four main areas: 1) limitations to the research design, 2) publication, 3) duplication of studies, and 4) research pipeline. Although certain researchers were in keeping to the status quo, more were willing to modify norms to address social need and urgency. Notably, they were more likely to opt for systemic change rather than modifications within their own research practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise M R Smith
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, Institute for Translational Sciences, Institute for Bioethics and Health Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Corisa Rakestraw
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, Institute for the Medical Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Farroni
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, Institute for Translational Sciences, Institute for Bioethics and Health Humanities, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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4
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Lipworth W, Kerridge I, Stewart C, Silva D, Upshur R. The Fragility of Scientific Rigour and Integrity in "Sped up Science": Research Misconduct, Bias, and Hype and in the COVID-19 Pandemic. JOURNAL OF BIOETHICAL INQUIRY 2023; 20:607-616. [PMID: 38064166 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-023-10289-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2024]
Abstract
During the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, preclinical and clinical research were sped up and scaled up in both the public and private sectors and in partnerships between them. This resulted in some extraordinary advances, but it also raised a range of issues regarding the ethics, rigour, and integrity of scientific research, academic publication, and public communication. Many of the failures of scientific rigour and integrity that occurred during the pandemic were exacerbated by the rush to generate, disseminate, and implement research findings, which not only created opportunities for unscrupulous actors but also compromised the methodological, peer review, and advisory processes that would usually identify sub-standard research and prevent compromised clinical or policy-level decisions. While it would be tempting to attribute these failures of science and its translation solely to the "unprecedented" circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality is that they preceded the pandemic and will continue to arise once it is over. Existing strategies for promoting scientific rigour and integrity need to be made more rigorous, better integrated into research training and institutional cultures, and made more sophisticated. They might also need to be modified or supplemented with other strategies that are fit for purpose not only in public health emergencies but in any research that is sped-up and scaled up to address urgent unmet medical needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Lipworth
- Department of Philosophy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - I Kerridge
- Department of Philosophy, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Royal North Shore Hospital and Sydney Health Ethics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - C Stewart
- Sydney Law School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - D Silva
- Sydney Health Ethics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - R Upshur
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Blatch-Jones AJ, Recio Saucedo A, Giddins B. The use and acceptability of preprints in health and social care settings: A scoping review. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291627. [PMID: 37713422 PMCID: PMC10503772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preprints are open and accessible scientific manuscript or report that is shared publicly, through a preprint server, before being submitted to a journal. The value and importance of preprints has grown since its contribution during the public health emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic. Funders and publishers are establishing their position on the use of preprints, in grant applications and publishing models. However, the evidence supporting the use and acceptability of preprints varies across funders, publishers, and researchers. The scoping review explored the current evidence on the use and acceptability of preprints in health and social care settings by publishers, funders, and the research community throughout the research lifecycle. METHODS A scoping review was undertaken with no study or language limits. The search strategy was limited to the last five years (2017-2022) to capture changes influenced by COVID-19 (e.g., accelerated use and role of preprints in research). The review included international literature, including grey literature, and two databases were searched: Scopus and Web of Science (24 August 2022). RESULTS 379 titles and abstracts and 193 full text articles were assessed for eligibility. Ninety-eight articles met eligibility criteria and were included for full extraction. For barriers and challenges, 26 statements were grouped under four main themes (e.g., volume/growth of publications, quality assurance/trustworthiness, risks associated to credibility, and validation). For benefits and value, 34 statements were grouped under six themes (e.g., openness/transparency, increased visibility/credibility, open review process, open research, democratic process/systems, increased productivity/opportunities). CONCLUSIONS Preprints provide opportunities for rapid dissemination but there is a need for clear policies and guidance from journals, publishers, and funders. Cautionary measures are needed to maintain the quality and value of preprints, paying particular attention to how findings are translated to the public. More research is needed to address some of the uncertainties addressed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Jane Blatch-Jones
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Coordinating Centre, School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
| | - Alejandra Recio Saucedo
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Coordinating Centre, School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
| | - Beth Giddins
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Coordinating Centre, School of Healthcare Enterprise and Innovation, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
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Núñez-Núñez M, Maes-Carballo M, Mignini LE, Chien PFW, Khalaf Y, Fawzy M, Zamora J, Khan KS, Bueno-Cavanillas A. Research integrity in randomized clinical trials: A scoping umbrella review. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2023; 162:860-876. [PMID: 37062861 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.14762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are experiencing a crisis of confidence in their trustworthiness. Although a comprehensive literature search yielded several reviews on RCT integrity, an overarching overview is lacking. OBJECTIVES The authors undertook a scoping umbrella review of the research integrity literature concerning RCTs. SEARCH STRATEGY AND SELECTION CRITERIA Following prospective registration (https://osf.io/3ursn), two reviewers independently searched PubMed, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, without language or time restrictions, until November 2021. The authors included systematic reviews covering any aspect of research integrity throughout the RCT lifecycle. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The authors assessed methodological quality using a modified AMSTAR 2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) tool and collated the main findings. MAIN RESULTS A total of 55 relevant reviews, summarizing 6001 studies (median per review, 63; range, 8-1106) from 1964 to 2021, had an overall critically low quality of 96% (53 reviews). Topics covered included general aspects (15%), design and approval (22%), conduct and monitoring (11%), reporting (38%), postpublication concerns (2%), and future research (13%). The most common integrity issues covered were ethics (18%) and transparency (18%). CONCLUSIONS Low-quality reviews identified various integrity issues across the RCT lifecycle, emphasizing the importance of high ethical standards and professionalism while highlighting gaps in the integrity landscape. Multistakeholder consensus is needed to develop specific RCT integrity standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Núñez-Núñez
- Pharmacy Department, University Hospital Clínico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain
- Biomedical research institute of Granada (IBS-Granada), Granada, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Maes-Carballo
- General Surgery Department. Breast Cancer Unit, Complexo Hospitalario de Ourense, Ourense, Spain
- General Surgery Department, Hospital Público Verín, Ourense, Spain
| | | | | | - Yacoub Khalaf
- Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Mohamed Fawzy
- IbnSina (Sohag), Banon (Assiut), Qena (Qena), Amshag (Sohag) IVF Facilities, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Javier Zamora
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
- Clinical Biostatistics Unit, Hospital Ramón y Cajal (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Khalid S Khan
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Granada Faculty of Medicine, Granada, Spain
| | - Aurora Bueno-Cavanillas
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP-Spain), Madrid, Spain
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Granada Faculty of Medicine, Granada, Spain
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7
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Sarri G, Liu W, Zabotka L, Freitag A, Claire R, Wangge G, Elvidge J, Dawoud D, Bennett D, Wen X, Li X, Rentsch CT, Uddin MJ, Ali MS, Gokhale M, Déruaz-Luyet A, Moga DC, Guo JJ, Zullo AR, Patorno E, Lin KJ. Prognostic Factors of COVID-19: An Umbrella Review Endorsed by the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2023; 114:604-613. [PMID: 37342987 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.2977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the urgency for updated evidence to inform public health and clinical care placed systematic literature reviews (SLRs) at the cornerstone of research. We aimed to summarize evidence on prognostic factors for COVID-19 outcomes through published SLRs and to critically assess quality elements in the findings' interpretation. An umbrella review was conducted via electronic databases from January 2020 to April 2022. All SLRs (and meta-analyses) in English were considered. Data screening and extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers. AMSTAR 2 tool was used to assess SLR quality. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD4202232576). Out of 4,564 publications, 171 SLRs were included of which 3 were umbrella reviews. Our primary analysis included 35 SLRs published in 2022, which incorporated studies since the beginning of the pandemic. Consistent findings showed that, for adults, older age, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer were more strongly predictive of risk of hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, and mortality due to COVID-19. Male sex was associated with higher risk of short-term adverse outcomes, but female sex was associated with higher risk of long COVID. For children, socioeconomic determinants that may unravel COVID-19 disparities were rarely reported. This review highlights key prognostic factors of COVID-19, which can help clinicians and health officers identify high-risk groups for optimal care. Findings can also help optimize confounding adjustment and patient phenotyping in comparative effectiveness research. A living SLR approach may facilitate dissemination of new findings. This paper is endorsed by the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Liu
- Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology, CDER, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Luke Zabotka
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Ravinder Claire
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, London, UK
| | | | - Jamie Elvidge
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, London, UK
| | - Dalia Dawoud
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, London, UK
- Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dimitri Bennett
- Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Xuerong Wen
- College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Xiaojuan Li
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher T Rentsch
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Md Jamal Uddin
- Department of Statistics, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh
- Department of General Educational Development (GED), Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - M Sanni Ali
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | | | | | - Daniela C Moga
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Jeff Jianfei Guo
- Division of Pharmacy Practice & Administrative Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew R Zullo
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Elisabetta Patorno
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kueiyu Joshua Lin
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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8
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Boudry C, Howard K, Mouriaux F. Poor visibility of retracted articles: a problem that should no longer be ignored. BMJ 2023; 381:e072929. [PMID: 37339808 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Boudry
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, Média Normandie, Caen, France
- URFIST, Ecole Nationale des Chartes, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | | | - Frederic Mouriaux
- INSERM UMR_S_1242, Faculty of Medicine, Rennes University, Department of Ophthalmology, CHU Rennes, Rennes, France
- CUO-Recherche, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec - Université Laval, Axe Médecine Régénératrice, Hôpital du Saint-Sacrement, Québec, Canada
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9
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Syed Z, Syed F, Thabane L, Rodrigues M. COVID-19 retracted publications on retraction watch: A systematic survey of their pre-prints and citations. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15184. [PMID: 37035368 PMCID: PMC10069084 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Studies related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were frequently published as pre-prints prior to undergoing peer-review. However, several publications were later retracted due to ethical concerns or study misconduct. Although these studies have been retracted, the availability of their corresponding pre-prints has never been formally investigated, and may result in the spread of misinformation if they are being used to inform decision-making. Methods Our objective was to conduct a systematic survey of retracted COVID-19 publications listed on the Retraction Watch database as of August 15th, 2021. We assessed the availability of corresponding pre-prints for retracted publications, and documented the number of citations and online views. Results Our study included 140 retracted COVID-19 publications, and we could not retrieve corresponding pre-prints for 132 retracted publications in our study (94%). Although we were unable to find the majority of pre-prints, they had already been disseminated, with a maximal citation count of 593 and Altmetric score of 558,928. Conclusion While it is reassuring that most corresponding pre-prints could not be retrieved, our study highlights the need for online platforms and journals to employ quality assurance methods to prevent the spread of misinformation through citation of retracted papers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lehana Thabane
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Biostatistics Unit, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton ON, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Corresponding author. St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Biostatistics Unit, 3rd. Floor, Martha Wing, Room H-325, 50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton ON L8N 4A6, Canada,
| | - Myanca Rodrigues
- Health Research Methodology Graduate Program, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Kohl CBS, Faggion CM. A comprehensive overview of studies that assessed article retractions within the biomedical sciences. Account Res 2023:1-19. [PMID: 36469621 DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2022.2154660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of previous research that has investigated retractions within the biomedical fields and assess their methodological quality. We searched three major electronic databases for articles on retractions within the biomedical field: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. In total, 162 articles were included in the analysis. We evaluated their methodological quality using the items of "a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews" (AMSTAR-2) checklist and the Cochrane guidance. The studies had been published in more than 20 biomedical disciplines or fields of investigation, and two-thirds were published after 2017. Concerning methodology, none of the studies fulfilled all the suggested items; five studies did not meet any of the suggested AMSTAR-2 categories or Cochrane guidelines. The most prevalent reported reasons for retraction were fraud and plagiarism (21.0%). In summary, there has been increasing interest in assessing the characteristics and impact of retractions in the biomedical sciences. The studies cited types of misconduct more often than honest errors as a major reason for retraction. The methodological quality of the existing studies in this area appears to be suboptimal. Future investigators should improve upon this, particularly in the quality of the data selection and extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Brigitte Susan Kohl
- Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Clovis Mariano Faggion
- Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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11
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Delardas O, Giannos P. How COVID-19 Affected the Journal Impact Factor of High Impact Medical Journals: Bibliometric Analysis. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e43089. [PMID: 36454727 PMCID: PMC9778719 DOI: 10.2196/43089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Journal impact factor (IF) is the leading method of scholarly assessment in today's research world, influencing where scholars submit their research and where funders distribute their resources. COVID-19, one of the most serious health crises, resulted in an unprecedented surge of publications across all areas of knowledge. An important question is whether COVID-19 affected the gold standard of scholarly assessment. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we aimed to comprehensively compare the productivity trends of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 literature as well as track their evolution and scholarly impact across 3 consecutive calendar years. METHODS We took as an example 6 high-impact medical journals (Annals of Internal Medicine [Annals], The British Medical Journal [The BMJ], Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], The Lancet, Nature Medicine [NatMed], and The New England Journal of Medicine [NEJM]) and searched the literature using the Web of Science database for manuscripts published between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021. To assess the effect of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 literature in their scholarly impact, we calculated their annual IFs and percentage changes. Thereafter, we estimated the citation probability of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 publications along with their rates of publication and citation by journal. RESULTS A significant increase in IF change for manuscripts including COVID-19 published from 2019 to 2020 (P=.002; Annals: 283%; The BMJ: 199%; JAMA: 208%; The Lancet: 392%; NatMed: 111%; and NEJM: 196%) and to 2021 (P=.007; Annals: 41%; The BMJ: 90%; JAMA: 6%; The Lancet: 22%; NatMed: 53%; and NEJM: 72%) was seen, against non-COVID-19 ones. The likelihood of highly cited publications was significantly increased in COVID-19 manuscripts between 2019 and 2021 (Annals: z=3.4, P<.001; The BMJ: z=4.0, P<.001; JAMA: z=3.8, P<.001; The Lancet: z=3.5, P<.001; NatMed: z=5.2, P<.001; and NEJM: z=4.7, P<.001). The publication and citation rates of COVID-19 publications followed a positive trajectory, as opposed to non-COVID-19. The citation rate for COVID-19 publications peaked by the second quarter of 2020 while that of the publication rate approximately a year later. CONCLUSIONS The rapid surge of COVID-19 publications emphasized the capacity of scientific communities to respond against a global health emergency, yet inflated IFs create ambiguity as benchmark tools for assessing scholarly impact. The immediate implication is a loss in value of and trust in journal IFs as metrics of research and scientific rigor perceived by academia and society. Loss of confidence toward procedures employed by highly reputable publishers may incentivize authors to exploit the publication process by monopolizing their research on COVID-19 and encourage them to publish in journals of predatory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Delardas
- Promotion of Emerging and Evaluative Research Society, London, United Kingdom
| | - Panagiotis Giannos
- Promotion of Emerging and Evaluative Research Society, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Verdonk F, Feyaerts D, Badenes R, Bastarache JA, Bouglé A, Ely W, Gaudilliere B, Howard C, Kotfis K, Lautrette A, Le Dorze M, Mankidy BJ, Matthay MA, Morgan CK, Mazeraud A, Patel BV, Pattnaik R, Reuter J, Schultz MJ, Sharshar T, Shrestha GS, Verdonk C, Ware LB, Pirracchio R, Jabaudon M. Upcoming and urgent challenges in critical care research based on COVID-19 pandemic experience. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med 2022; 41:101121. [PMID: 35781076 PMCID: PMC9245393 DOI: 10.1016/j.accpm.2022.101121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic placed a heavy burden on healthcare systems worldwide, it also induced urgent mobilisation of research teams to develop treatments preventing or curing the disease and its consequences. It has, therefore, challenged critical care research to rapidly focus on specific fields while forcing critical care physicians to make difficult ethical decisions. This narrative review aims to summarise critical care research -from organisation to research fields- in this pandemic setting and to highlight opportunities to improve research efficiency in the future, based on what is learned from COVID-19. This pressure on research revealed, i.e., i/ the need to harmonise regulatory processes between countries, allowing simplified organisation of international research networks to improve their efficiency in answering large-scale questions; ii/ the importance of developing translational research from which therapeutic innovations can emerge; iii/ the need for improved triage and predictive scores to rationalise admission to the intensive care unit. In this context, key areas for future critical care research and better pandemic preparedness are artificial intelligence applied to healthcare, characterisation of long-term symptoms, and ethical considerations. Such collaborative research efforts should involve groups from both high and low-to-middle income countries to propose worldwide solutions. As a conclusion, stress tests on healthcare organisations should be viewed as opportunities to design new research frameworks and strategies. Worldwide availability of research networks ready to operate is essential to be prepared for next pandemics. Importantly, researchers and physicians should prioritise realistic and ethical goals for both clinical care and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck Verdonk
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hôpital Saint-Antoine Paris, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France and GRC 29, DMU DREAM, Sorbonne University, Paris, France; Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, California, United States of America
| | - Dorien Feyaerts
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, California, United States of America
| | - Rafael Badenes
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hospital Clìnico Universitario de Valencia, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Julie A Bastarache
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Adrien Bouglé
- Sorbonne Université, GRC 29, AP-HP, DMU DREAM, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Wesley Ely
- Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship (CIBS) Center, at the TN Valley VA Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center (GRECC) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, California, United States of America
| | - Christopher Howard
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Katarzyna Kotfis
- Department Anaesthesiology, Intensive Therapy and Acute Intoxications, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Alexandre Lautrette
- Medical Intensive Care Unit, Gabriel-Montpied University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Matthieu Le Dorze
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, AP-HP, Lariboisière University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Babith Joseph Mankidy
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Michael A Matthay
- Departments of Medicine and Anaesthesia, University of California, and Cardiovascular Research Institute, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Christopher K Morgan
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Aurélien Mazeraud
- Service d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, Groupe Hospitalier Université Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Pôle Neuro, Paris, France
| | - Brijesh V Patel
- Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine, and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, and Department of Adult Intensive Care, Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals, Guys & St Thomas' NHS Foundation trust, London, UK
| | - Rajyabardhan Pattnaik
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Ispat General Hospital, Rourkela, Sundargarh, Odisha, India
| | - Jean Reuter
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Marcus J Schultz
- Department of Intensive Care, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tarek Sharshar
- Service d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, Groupe Hospitalier Université Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Pôle Neuro, Paris, France
| | - Gentle S Shrestha
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Charles Verdonk
- Unit of Neurophysiology of Stress, Department of Neurosciences and Cognitive Sciences, French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Lorraine B Ware
- Division of Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States of America
| | - Romain Pirracchio
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, University of California San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Matthieu Jabaudon
- Department of Perioperative Medicine, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France; iGReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, INSERM, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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Sisk BA, Baldwin K, Parsons M, DuBois JM. Ethical, regulatory, and practical barriers to COVID-19 research: A stakeholder-informed inventory of concerns. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265252. [PMID: 35324933 PMCID: PMC8947496 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has caused death and economic injury around the globe. The urgent need for COVID-19 research created new ethical, regulatory, and practical challenges. The next public health emergency could be worse than COVID-19. We must learn about these challenges from the experiences of researchers and Research Ethics Committee professionals responsible for these COVID-19 studies to prepare for the next emergency. Materials and methods We conducted an online survey to identify the ethical, oversight, and regulatory challenges of conducting COVID-19 research during the early pandemic, and proposed solutions for overcoming these barriers. Using criterion-based, convenience sampling, we invited researchers who proposed or conducted COVID-19 research to complete an anonymous, online survey about their experiences. We administered a separate but related survey to Institutional Review Board (IRB) professionals who reviewed COVID-19 research studies. The surveys included open-ended and demographic items. We performed inductive content analysis on responses to open-ended survey questions. Results IRB professionals (n = 143) and researchers (n = 211) described 19 types of barriers to COVID-19 research, related to 5 overarching categories: policy and regulatory, biases and misperceptions, institutional and inter-institutional conflicts, risks of harm, and pressure of the pandemic. Researchers and IRB professionals described 8 categories of adaptations and solutions to these challenges: enacting technological solutions; developing protocol-based solutions; disposition and team management; establishing and communicating appropriate standards; national guidance and leadership; maintaining high standards; prioritizing studies before IRB review; and identifying and incorporating experts. Discussion and conclusions This inventory of challenges represents ongoing barriers to studying the current pandemic, and they represent a risk to research during future public health emergencies. Delays in studies of a pandemic during a pandemic threatens the health and safety of the public. We urge the development of a national working group to address these issues before the next public health emergency arises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A. Sisk
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United State of America
- Division of General Medical Sciences, Bioethics Research Center, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Kari Baldwin
- Division of General Medical Sciences, Bioethics Research Center, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Meredith Parsons
- Division of General Medical Sciences, Bioethics Research Center, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - James M. DuBois
- Division of General Medical Sciences, Bioethics Research Center, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Peterson CJ, Alexander R, Nugent K. COVID-19 Article Retractions in Journals Indexed in PubMed. Am J Med Sci 2022; 364:127-128. [PMID: 35122726 PMCID: PMC8809656 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjms.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert Alexander
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth Nugent
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
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