- Trends in Research on Patients With COVID-19 in Korean Medical Journals
-
Heejeong Choi, Seunggwan Song, Heesang Ahn, Hyobean Yang, Hyeonseong Lim, Yohan Park, Juhyun Kim, Hongju Yong, Minseok Yoon, Mi Ah Han
-
J Prev Med Public Health. 2024;57(1):47-54. Published online January 17, 2024
-
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.23.254
-
-
 Abstract
Summary
 PDF Supplementary Material
- Objectives
This study was conducted to systematically summarize trends in research concerning patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as reported in Korean medical journals.
Methods
We performed a literature search of KoreaMed from January 2020 to September 2022. We included only primary studies of patients with COVID-19. Two reviewers screened titles and abstracts, then performed full-text screening, both independently and in duplicate. We first identified the 5 journals with the greatest numbers of eligible publications, then extracted data pertaining to the general characteristics, study population attributes, and research features of papers published in these journals.
Results
Our analysis encompassed 142 primary studies. Of these, approximately 41.0% reported a funding source, while 3.5% disclosed a conflict of interest. In 2020, 42.9% of studies included fewer than 10 participants; however, by 2022, the proportion of studies with over 200 participants had increased to 40.6%. The most common design was the cohort study (48.6%), followed by case reports/series (35.2%). Only 3 randomized controlled trials were identified. Studies most frequently focused on prognosis (58.5%), followed by therapy/intervention (20.4%). Regarding the type of intervention/exposure, therapeutic clinical interventions comprised 26.1%, while studies of morbidity accounted for 13.4%. As for the outcomes measured, 50.7% of studies assessed symptoms/clinical status/improvement, and 14.1% evaluated mortality.
Conclusions
Employing a systematic approach, we examined the characteristics of research involving patients with COVID-19 that was published in Korean medical journals from 2020 onward. Subsequent research should assess not only publication trends over a longer timeframe but also the quality of evidence provided.
-
Summary
Korean summary
본 연구는 2020년 이후 국내 의학저널에 보고된 코로나19 환자를 대상으로 진행된 연구의 특성을 체계적 방법론을 통해 살펴보았다. 142개 연구 중 5개는 국제 연구자들과 협력했으며 약 50%가 자금 지원에 관해 보고하였으며, 2022년에는 2020년에 비해 대규모 환자 코호트를 포함하는 연구 수가 증가하였다. 연구의 약 20%는 약물 치료와 같은 개입의 영향을 평가하였으며, 향후 연구에서는 장기간에 걸친 연구 경향 뿐만 아니라 연구의 질도 평가해야 할 것이다.
Key Message
This study employed a systematic approach to examine the characteristics of research
conducted among patients with COVID-19, as reported in Korean medical journals from
2020 onward.
Of 142 studies, 5 involved collaborations with international researchers, and approximately
50% made any declaration regarding funding, and By 2022, an increase was evident in the
number of studies that included a large patient cohort relative to the year 2020.
Roughly 20% of the studies assessed the impact of interventions, such as pharmaceutical
treatments, and further research should assess not only publication trends over a longer
timeframe but also the quality of evidence provided.
|
KSPM
