[An analysis of randomized controlled trials published in the Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery between 2003-2009].
OBJECTIVE
To study the academic level of randomized controlled trials (RCT) published in the Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery between 2003 and 2009.


METHODS
Published RCTs in the 42 issues of the Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery was searched for relevant articles published between 2003 and 2009. Data extracted for analysis included the time at manuscript received, publication time, total number of citations, number of citations in Chinese, number of citations in English, author's affiliations, single- or multi- center study, positive conclusions from RCTs, number of patients recruited in RCTs, research funding source, the start time, the finish time and the number of authors in RCTs.


RESULTS
During the past seven years, a total of 80 clinical RCTs were published in the Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, accounting for 12% of all the clinical studies published in the journal, and the average number of RCTs in each issue was 1.6. The average delay time before publication was 208 days. The total number of citations and the total number of patients in RCTs were 685 and 9402. The average number of citations, the average number of patients recruited in each RCT, and the average research period in RCTs were 8.6, 118 and 29.2. There were 7 multi-center studies, and the number of single-center study was 73. All the RCT studies had significant conclusions, and 17 (21.3%) RCT studies were funded. Nanjing general hospital of Nanjing military command had the largest number of RCTs (n=6).


CONCLUSIONS
The Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery puts emphasis on clinical studies of high evidence level such as RCT, which provide evidence for making the clinical guidelines in the specialty of gastrointestinal surgery.
Lu
Pei-hua
PH
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Wuxi People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Wuxi 214023, China. lphty1_1@yahoo.com.cn
Li
Chen
C
Pan
Yao
Y
Xu
Zhi-qin
ZQ
Si
Shu-ping
SP
Du
Hu
H
Lv
Xi-dong
XD
Shi
Li-ping
LP
Tao
Guo-qing
GQ
D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic