title: [A bibliometric approach to the Spanish scientific production on rheumatology during the 1997-2006 period].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bibliometric studies have shown their usefulness in the evaluation of science. This methodology was adopted for the analysis of Spanish rheumatologic scientific production during 1997-2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  Search phrases were constructed for databases (PubMed, Science Citation Index (SCI), Índice Médico Español (IME)). The analysis was based on the results of SCI with bibliometric indicators for scientific production, collaboration, type of document, times cited and the measure of impact factor (FI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scientific production in Spanish rheumatology recovered 602 documents in PubMed, 1073 in ISI, 627 in IME. The mapping of scientific productivity is similar to other studies (Madrid, Cataluña, Galicia). The "items citables" (citable items, articles and reviews) raised 54 to 98 and the international collaboration raised 3 to 33 documents (1997-2006). The FI for all documents in 1997-2001 was=6,79±0,54 and during 2002-2006=9,60±1,24.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This confirms an upward trend in Spanish scientific production in rheumatology with regard to previous studies.
authors.affiliation: Revisor en el Grupo de Trabajo de Reumatología Basada en la Evidencia, Sociedad Española de Reumatología, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maese Manzano