[Key words, essential tools for bibliographic research: analysis of usage in Archivos de Bronconeumología for respiratory system knowledge areas].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze key word usage in Archivos de Bronconeumología, by comparing words used in the journal to those used in the Index Medicus database within various respiratory system knowledge areas, and to determine whether usage has changed over time.


METHODS
Original articles published in Archivos de Bronconeumología from 1994 through 2001 were reviewed manually to gather the key words used. The list was translated to English and then compared to the medical subject heading (MeSH) terms used in the PubMed Browser.


RESULTS
Seven hundred six original articles published in the study period used a total of 1163 key words. Matches with MeSH terms were found for 62% (n=46) of the key words in smoking research, 48% (n=52) in asthma, 39% (n=82) in respiratory insufficiency and sleep disorders, 60% (n=49) in diagnostic and treatment techniques, 61% (n=35) in tuberculosis, 65% (n=87) in nontuberculous infections, 61% (n=121) in oncology, 60% (n=37) in circulation, 55% (n=47) in pleural diseases, 48% (n=21) in pathophysiology, and 64% (n=68) in interstitial diseases. We did not see a clear tendency in the evolution of the journal's key word usage for the knowledge areas analyzed during the study period. The percentage of matching key words held steady around 50% over the last 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory system key words in the knowledge areas we investigated are used correctly in Archivos de Bronconeumología only about 50% of the time.
de Granda Orive
J I
JI
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital General Básico de la Defensa, Valencia, Spain. igo01m@saludalia.com
García Río
F
F
Roig Vázquez
F
F
Escobar Sacristán
J
J
Gutiérrez Jiménez
T
T
Callol Sánchez
L
L
D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D046650:Medical Subject Headings; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D012137:Respiratory System