Scientific publications in anesthesiology journals from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong: a 10-year survey of the literature.

BACKGROUND: The past 20 yr have seen significant growth in China's role in the international community. This same growth and international presence is occurring in the field of anesthesiology. The research status in anesthesiology among Chinese individuals in the 3 major regions of China--mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan--is unknown. We analyzed articles published in peer-reviewed international anesthesiology journals cited by both PubMed and Science Citation Index from these 3 regions.

METHODS: Articles published in 21 journals in anesthesiology originating from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong from 1999 to 2008 were retrieved from the PubMed database and the Science Citation Index. The number of total articles, clinical trials, randomized controlled trials, impact factors, citations, and articles published in "high-impact" journals were tabulated to assess both the quantity and quality of research arising from China.

RESULTS: From 1999 to 2008 there were 721 articles published in high-impact anesthesiology journals from China, including 204 from mainland China, 317 from Taiwan, and 200 from Hong Kong. The number of articles published each year increased from 50 published in 1999 to 101 published in 2008. From 2005 onward, the number of articles published from mainland China exceeded that from Hong Kong and in 2008 mainland China exceeded Taiwan. The average impact factor of the articles was similar for mainland China (2.84), Taiwan (2.41), and Hong Kong (2.16). The total citations to articles from Taiwan (2376) exceeded citations to articles from mainland China (1143) and Hong Kong (1540). Anesthesia & Analgesia published more articles than any other journal from all 3 regions.

CONCLUSION: The total number of articles from China published in highly cited anesthesiology journals increased markedly from 1999 to 2008, with articles from mainland China increasing substantially after 2004, whereas the number of publications from Hong Kong decreased. The average impact factor was similar for all 3 regions, ranging from 2.2 to 2.8. Anesthesia & Analgesia published more articles from Chinese authors from all 3 regions than any other journal.