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10:29
Principles of Rodent Surgery for the New Surgeon
Published on: January 6, 2011
Why should surgeons care about clinical research methodology?
David C Chang1, Susanna L Matsen, Christopher E Simpkins
1Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
Journal of the American College of Surgeons
|November 23, 2006
Summary
High-level clinical research in surgery remains scarce, with most studies offering limited evidence. Improving surgical research methodology education is crucial for patient care and health policy.
Area of Science:
- Medical Research
- Surgical Journals
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Previous reports indicated a low prevalence of high-level clinical studies in surgical literature.
- This study aimed to assess the current status of clinical research in prominent surgical journals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the distribution of evidence classes in surgical publications.
- To determine if the low prevalence of high-level evidence persists.
Main Methods:
- A 3-month sample of articles from Archives of Surgery, Surgery, and Annals of Surgery in 2005 was analyzed.
- Two independent reviewers classified articles into established evidence classes.
Main Results:
- Out of 133 publications, 101 were clinical articles.
- Only 7.9% of clinical articles were Class I (high-level evidence), with 33.7% being Class II and 58.4% Class III.
Conclusions:
- The scarcity of high-level evidence in major general surgery journals continues.
- Enhanced education in research methodology is vital for surgeons and has health policy implications.
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