J R Shah1. 1. Department of Chest Diseases, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. G. DeshmukhMarg, Mumbai - 400 026, India E-mail: info@jaslokhospital.net.
Sir,We read with interest the original article entitled “Mapping of Asthma Research in India: A scientometric analysis of publications output during 1999-2008” published in October 2011 issue of Lung India.[1] We wish to point out that the author has missed one of the most significant studiesfrom India which is ISAAC ‘The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood’.ISAAC study was carried out over ten years period from 1993 to 2003 to more than 20 centers in North, West, South and East of India by mostly full-time professors attached to medical colleges and hospitals. The study was done in three phases. The phase-I and phase-II were to evaluate epidemiology and changes in prevalence at an interval of 5-year period.Phase-I and Phase-III were published in Lancet as priority article with special editorial and more than 25 articles published in well-recognized U.K. and European journals by ISAAC coordination committee.Phase-I and Phase-III were published in Lancet as priority articles with special publication. The global Asthma report of 2011 published by ISAAC clearly shows Indian contribution.[2]