[The Spanish scientific production about human immunodeficiency virus infection/AIDS. A study through MedLine...

To analyze the research output of Spanish authors on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/AIDS.

Papers published over 1991-1999 which were recorder in the MedLine database (CD-ROM) were selected by using the key words Spain or Espana in the address of author field and HIV, AIDS, VIH or sida in any field. Papers were analyzed according to publication journal specialty of authors, subjecte matter of the paper, institution, center of origin and geographical distribution.

A total of 2,065 papers were studied. Their number doubled, from 148 in 1991 to 295 in 1999 (r = 0.917; p < 0.0001). The number of papers published in foreign journals trebled, from 51 to 182 (r = 0.933; p < 0.001). The journal with the highest number o papers published was Medicina Clínica: 241 (11.7%). Although the main topic was the clinical manifestations of HIV infection (64.6%), the proportion of papers on this subject decreased from 71.4% in 1991-93 to 58.3% in 1997-99 (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the percentage of articles on antiretroviral therapy increased from 3.6% in 1991-93 to 12.4% in 1997-99 (p < 0.001). The greatest number of contributions came from hospitals (79.8% of papers), followed by universities (9.5%). Centers with the highest output were the Hospital Clínic (Barcelona) (5.7%) and the Hospital Carlos III (Madrid) (5.5%). The Autonomous Communities of Madrid (33.1%) and Catalonia (25.3%) concentrated more than half of the total output, followed by Andalusia (11.5%) and the Valencian Community (8.1%).

Spanish output on HIV infection/AIDS research grew during the 1991-1999 period. There was a remarkable increase in the papers published in foreign journals. Moreover, topics changed according to the epidemiological changes observed in HIV infection during the past decade.