title: [Evolution of epidemiological methods in clinical research in Spain (1975-1994)].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown a sparing utilization of analytical and experimental designs in Spanish clinical research journals. The study aims are to compare among countries, the use of epidemiologic method in articles published in scientific journals, and to determine the extent to which this research has direct funding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study including all original papers published during 1994 in Medicina Clinica [(Med Clin (Barc)], Revista Clinica Española (Rev Clin Esp), The Lancet (Lancet) and New England Journal of Medicine (N Engl J Med). They were classified according to epidemiological design and we verified the financial support mention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  594 papers were included. Epidemiological studies without control group prevailed in Spanish journals. The most common designs were descriptive studies in Med Clin (Barc), with 45.5%, and clinical series in Rev Clin Esp, with 41.7%. The 33.6% of original papers published in Lancet and 28.4% of N England J Med were randomized trials. We found information about financial support in 73.7% of papers published in Lancet, in 77.4% of N Engl J Med, in 23.1% of Med Clin (Barc) papers and not one in the Rev Clin Esp studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Spanish clinical journals the use of epidemiological methods with control group is limited and direct financial support unusual. Wherefore these studies have a limited applicability.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Zaragoza. caibar@posta.unizar.es
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aibar Remón
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rabanaque
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Dardet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nolasco
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moncho
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gascón
mesh_terms: D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research; D012107:Research Design; D013030:Spain
vernacular_title: Evolución de los diseños epidemiológicos de la investigación clínica en España (1975-1994).