| Literature DB >> 32836910 |
Jack A Helliwell1, William S Bolton1, Joshua R Burke1, Jim P Tiernan1, David G Jayne1, Stephen J Chapman1.
Abstract
This study explores the response to COVID-19 from investigators, editors, and publishers and seeks to define challenges during the early stages of the pandemic. A cross-sectional bibliometric review of COVID-19 literature was undertaken between 1 November 2019 and 24 March 2020, along with a comparative review of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) literature. Investigator responsiveness was assessed by measuring the volume and type of research published. Editorial responsiveness was assessed by measuring the submission-to-acceptance time and availability of original data. Publisher-responsiveness was assessed by measuring the acceptance-to-publication time and the provision of open access. Three hundred and ninety-eight of 2,835 COVID-19 and 55 of 1,513 MERS search results were eligible. Most COVID-19 studies were clinical reports (n = 242; 60.8%). The submission-to-acceptance [median: 5 days (IQR: 3-11) versus 71.5 days (38-106); P < .001] and acceptance-to-publication [median: 5 days (IQR: 2-8) versus 22.5 days (4-48·5-; P < .001] times were strikingly shorter for COVID-19. Almost all COVID-19 (n = 396; 99.5%) and MERS (n = 55; 100%) studies were open-access. Data sharing was infrequent, with original data available for 104 (26.1%) COVID-19 and 10 (18.2%) MERS studies (P = .203). The early academic response was characterized by investigators aiming to define the disease. Studies were made rapidly and openly available. Only one-in-four were published alongside original data, which is a key target for improvement. Key points: COVID-19 publications show rapid response from investigators, specifically aiming to define the disease.Median time between submission and acceptance of COVID-19 articles is 5 days demonstrating rapid decision-making compared with the median of 71.5 days for MERS articles.Median time from acceptance to publication of COVID-19 articles is 5 days, confirming the ability to introduce rapid increases at times of crisis, such as during the SARS outbreak.The majority of both COVID-19 and MERS articles are available open-access.Entities:
Keywords: SARS‐CoV‐2; coronavirus; data sharing; dissemination; open‐access
Year: 2020 PMID: 32836910 PMCID: PMC7362145 DOI: 10.1002/leap.1317
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Learn Publ ISSN: 0953-1513
COVID 19 and MERS search strategies (via OvidSP) (undertaken 25 March 2020)
| COVID‐19 | |
| 1 | SARS‐CoV‐2 |
| 2 | nCoV‐19 |
| 3 | 2019‐nCoV |
| 4 | COVID‐19 |
| 5 | Novel coronavirus |
| 6 | Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 |
| 7 | 1 OR 2 OR 3 OR 4 OR 5 OR 6 |
| 8 | (Remove duplicates) |
| 9 | (Time limit: 2019–current) |
| 10 | (Limit to English) |
| MERS | |
| 1 | MERS |
| 2 | MERS‐CoV |
| 3 | Middle East respiratory syndrome |
| 4 | 1 OR 2 OR 3 |
| 5 | (Time limit: 2018–2019) |
| 6 | (Limit to English) |
| 7 | (Remove duplicates) |
Figure 1Flow diagram showing selection of eligible articles relating to COVID‐19.
Figure 2Flow diagram showing selection of eligible articles relating to MERS.
Bibliometric characteristics of COVID‐19 and MERS published studies
| COVID‐19 ( | MERS ( | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country of publication | China | 254 (63.8%) | 7 (12.7%) |
| USA | 28 (7.0%) | 14 (25.5%) | |
| Japan | 13 (3.3%) | 2 (3.6%) | |
| Korea | 11 (2.8%) | 12 (21.8%) | |
| Singapore | 10 (2.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Canada | 9 (2.3%) | 1 (1.8%) | |
| Italy | 9 (2.3%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Germany | 8 (2.0%) | 4 (7.3%) | |
| UK | 8 (2.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 (0.3%) | 8 (12.7%) | |
| Others | 47 (11.8%) | 7 (14.5%) | |
| Format of publication | Letter/communication | 158 (39.7%) | 4 (7.3%) |
| Full‐text manuscript | 240 (60.3%) | 51 (92.7%) | |
| Type of research | Pre‐clinical | 90 (22.6%) | 38 (69.1%) |
| Clinical | 242 (60.8%) | 13 (23.6%) | |
| Modelling | 62 (15.6%) | 1 (1.8%) | |
| Other/miscellaneous | 4 (1.0%) | 3 (5.5%) | |
| Journal category | Infectious diseases | 117 (29.4%) | 10 (18.2%) |
| Medicine, general and Internal | 78 (19.6%) | 1 (1.8%) | |
| Radiology, nuclear medicine, and medical imaging | 44 (11.1%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Virology | 39 (9.8%) | 15 (27.3%) | |
| Microbiology | 16 (4.0%) | 6 (10.9%) | |
| Multidisciplinary sciences | 8 (2.0%) | 3 (5.5%) | |
| Others | 96 (24.1%) | 20 (36.4%) | |
| Journal category quartile | First | 248 (62.3%) | 20 (36.4%) |
| Second | 50 (12.6%) | 19 (34.5%) | |
| Third | 79 (19.8%) | 4 (7.3%) | |
| Fourth | 5 (1.3%) | 4 (7.3%) | |
| Unclassified | 16 (4.0%) | 8 (14.5%) |
Determined according to the corresponding institution.
All others n < 6 including: Australia, Belgium, Egypt, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
All miscellaneous studies were surveys.
According to Thomas Reuters Journal Citation Reports.
All others n < 8 including: Anesthiology; Biochemical Research Methods; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Biology; Cell Biology; Chemistry, Medicinal; Chemistry, Analytical; Critical Care Medicine; Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine; Dermatology; Electrochemistry; Environmental Sciences; Gastroenterology & Hepatology; Genetics & Heredity; Hematology; Immunology; Medical Laboratory Technology; Medicine, Research & Experimental; Neurosciences; Oncology; Pediatrics; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Psychiatry; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Respiratory System; Surgery; unclassified.
Ranking according to category‐specific Impact Factor.
Figure 3Volume of COVID‐19 and MERS studies by month of publication.
Characteristics of clinical COVID‐19 and MERS studies
| COVID‐19 published ( | MERS published ( | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Study population | Adults | 209 (86.4%) | 11 (84.6%) |
| Children | 16 (6.6%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Pregnant adults | 7 (2.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Healthcare workers | 10 (4.1%) | 2 (15.4%) | |
| Study design | Case report | 65 (26.9%) | 1 (7.7%) |
| Case series | 105 (43.4%) | 5 (38.5%) | |
| Observational | 64 (26.4%) | 5 (38.5%) | |
| Interventional | 5 (2.1%) | 2 (15.4%) | |
| Novel conjunctival secretion RT‐PCR test | – | ||
| Novel rapid IgM–IgG antibody test | – | ||
| Ribavirin, interferon‐alpha | – | ||
| lopinavir/ritonavir | – | ||
| Oxygenation‐assisted tracheal intubation | – | ||
| Lopinavir/ritonavir | – | ||
| Other | 3 (1.2%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Study focus | Definition of disease | 126 (52.1%) | 5 (38.5%) |
| Diagnosis/screening | 81 (33.5%) | 5 (38.5%) | |
| Prevention | 15 (6.2%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Treatment | 13 (5.4%) | 3 (23.1%) | |
| Resource use | 1 (0.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
| Other miscellaneous | 6 (2.5%) | 0 (0.0%) |
RT‐PCR, real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.
Editorial and publisher responsiveness
| COVID‐19 | MERS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to acceptance | Median | 5 days | 71.5 days |
| Interquartile range | 3–11 | 38–106 | |
| Time to publication | Median | 5 days | 22.5 days |
| Interquartile range | 2–8 | 4–48.5 |
Time from submission to acceptance.
Time from acceptance to publication.