The rate of publication of free papers at the 2008 and 2010 European Society of Sports Traumatology Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy congresses

The impact of surgical randomised controlled trials on the management of FAI syndrome: a citation analysis

PURPOSE

To identify and assess the clinical impact of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the surgical management of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) through a citation analysis.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched from inception to April 22, 2023 for RCTs assessing the surgical management of FAIS. Study characteristics were directly abstracted from included trials and citation metrics were obtained from the Clarivate Web of Knowledge database on May 19, 2023. The continuous fragility index (CFI) was calculated for eligible outcomes. Univariate regression models were used to explore correlations between total citations per year and various study characteristics.

RESULTS

Ten studies comprising one thousand two hundred ninetypatients were eligible for analysis. Studies were published from 2013 to 2023. Eight countries were represented across various trials with 91% being either North American or European. The mean journal impact factor of published studies was 39.684 (median 2.982; range 1.31-202.73). The mean citation density was 14.17 (range 0.33-48.67). The median CFI was 4.8 (range 1-32.2). Correlation analysis demonstrated strong and statistically significant correlations to study sample size (R = 0.75, p = 0.012), journal impact factor (R = 0.80, p = 0.006) and continuous fragility index (R = 0.95, p = 0.015).

CONCLUSION

Trials assessing the surgical management of FAIS present with a wide range of clinical uptake based on citation density and are published in journals of broadly variable impact factor. Despite promising citation metrics, high-quality evidence on arthroscopy for FAIS is limited to the United States and Europe with an unclear international impact. Future knowledge translation efforts are warranted to maximise the international uptake of evidence regarding arthroscopic management of FAIS.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I.

Publication rate of abstracts presented at the Australian Orthopaedic Association Annual Scientific Meeting

BACKGROUND

Presentations at scientific conferences are an important method of research dissemination, with abstracts often used to inform clinical practice. Abstract to publication ratio is a commonly used tool for determining meeting quality. The aim of this study was to determine the publication rate for abstracts presented at the Australian Orthopaedic Association Annual Scientific Meeting (AOA ASM) between 2012 and 2015 inclusive and identify reasons for non-publication.

METHODS

MEDLINE, PubMed and Google Scholar were searched to determine whether each abstract presented at AOA ASMs between 2012 and 2015 was associated with a full text publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Where a publication could not be located, the presenter was contacted to confirm the reason for non-publication.

RESULTS

A total of 1130 abstracts were submitted (951 oral and 179 posters), and 573 resulted in full-text peer-reviewed publications (51%). The majority of publications (73%) were published within 2 years of presentation. There was no difference in likelihood of publication for oral presentations compared to posters, nor in the rate of publication across the 4 years of meetings. Common reasons for non-publication were lack of time (32%), publication considered low priority (27%) and journal rejections (22%).

CONCLUSION

The overall publication rate for abstracts presented at the AOA ASM is 51%, which is an increase from the 1998 ASM (31%). This publication rate is higher than many similar Australian meetings and on par with other international orthopaedic and subspecialty meetings. Future research should investigate potential publication bias and methods to minimise barriers to publication.

Publication rate of studies presented at the French Arthroscopic Society Meeting in 2014

INTRODUCTION

Publication rates for studies reported at French Arthroscopic Society (Société francophone d'arthroscopie, SFA) meetings are not known. A comprehensive search of podium presentations to the 2014 SFA meeting was performed, assessing: (1) publication rate for meeting abstracts, and (2) bibliometric parameters including journal Impact Factor.

HYPOTHESIS

The full-text publication rate for abstracts accepted for the 2014 French Arthroscopic Society (SFA) meeting was around 47.1%: i.e., the rate reported for the 2013 meeting of the French Society of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology (SoFCOT).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Bibliometric analysis of all abstracts accepted for the 2014 SFA annual meeting was undertaken by the Junior French Arthroscopic Society (SFA Junior), who collated the podium presentations. Reported studies were retrospective in 43 cases (54%) and prospective in 36 (46%). They consisted in clinical studies in 52/79 cases (66%), experimental studies in 4 (5%), cadaver or animal studies in 13 (16.5%), epidemiological studies in 8 (10%), a case report in 1 (1.2%) and a literature review in 1 (1.2%). Thirty-two (40.5%) concerned the shoulder and 31 (39%) the knee. Publication was checked on systematic PubMed-Medline search of authors' names. Articles found on PubMed-Medline were downloaded into the SIGAPS scientific publication search, management and analysis system database. Journal impact factor and SIGAPS category (A to E) were obtained, as were number of citations and h-index. This was a descriptive study, assessing numbers; results were reported as number and percentage.

RESULTS

Overall publication rate was 31/79 (39.2%): 20/31 clinical studies (64.5%), 6 cadaver studies (19.4%), 3 epidemiology studies (9.7%), 1 experimental study (3.2%) and 1 literature review (3.2%). Mean 2014 SFA meeting-to-publication time was 18.7 months [range, -2 to 60 months]. Journal SIGAPS categories were A for 4 articles (13.3%), B for 13 (43.3%), C for 3 (10%), D for 9 (30%), with no E category articles but 1 article (3.3%) without SIGAPS category.

CONCLUSION

The publication rate for abstracts accepted for report to the 2014 SFA annual meeting was lower than for the 2013 SoFCOT meeting. The high level of the journals in question testified to the quality of the studies reported at the SFA meeting.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV, retrospective study.

Creation of a specialist core curriculum for the European Society for Sports traumatology, Knee surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA)

PURPOSE

The European Society for Sports traumatology, Knee surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) identified the need to develop a core curriculum for clinical specialists that work within the interest areas of ESSKA. A research-based approach was used to define a set of core competencies which could be used to map all of their educational activities, resources and development priorities. This paper describes the aims, development, results and implications of this competency-based core curriculum for orthopaedic conditions relevant to ESSKA members.

METHODS

A Core Curriculum Working Group, with leaders and other experts representing the main specialist areas within ESSKA, reviewed existing curricula and the literature in their own specialist areas. Applying expert group methodology, they iteratively developed a draft list of 285 core competencies for Orthopedic specialists within 6 specialist areas of Knee, Shoulder, Foot/Ankle, Hip, Elbow/Forearm and Sports/Exercise. All ESSKA members were then asked to comment and rate the importance of these competencies, and the Working Group used these findings to critically review and refine the curriculum.

RESULTS

The expert groups defined 56 competencies related to 10 Knee pathologies; 67 related to 15 Shoulder pathologies; 45 related to 9 Foot/Ankle pathologies; 41 related to 6 Hip pathologies; and 34 related to 12 Elbow/Forearm pathologies and 42 related to 8 Sports/Exercise pathologies. Survey respondent mean ratings were at least 'Important' for all competencies, and the Working Group used these results to separate the competencies into three levels of importance.

CONCLUSION

A competency-based core curriculum for Orthopedic specialists was achieved through a systematic and scholarly approach, involving both expert opinion and engagement of the wider ESSKA membership, identifying 285 treatment competencies in 6 specialist areas. It is now being used to guide educational and strategic development for ESSKA and should also be of interest to the wider orthopedic and sports medicine communities.