Randomized Controlled Clinical Studies in Latin American Pediatrics

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the production of RCS among children and adolescents in Latin American countries, between 1996 and 2005. 

Method: In an observational bibliometric study, all available RCS in PUBMED and LILAC data bases for that period were reviewed. Included were studies of children between 0 and 18 years of age, from 19 Latin American countries; 400 references were included. As a control, all pediatric research from the State of New York, USA, for that same period of time was collected. The following parameters were evaluated: number of RCS per country, affiliation, pediatric area, and adjustments were made for population and GNP for each country. 

Results: Countries with the highest number of publications per year (RCS/yr) were: Brazil (14.6), Mexico (8.6), Chile (5.5), Argentina (3.9). During that same period of time, the State of New York published 26.7 RCS per year. Overall, in Latin America most published specialities were Nutrition (16%), Respiratory Diseases, Dental problems, Vaccinations, Neonatology. In New York, the most frequent specialty reviewed was Psychiatry/Psychology (23.6%). In Chile and Brazil, more than 85% of the studies were performed in Universities, in Mexico and Argentina in Hospitals and other organizations either public or private. Over 90% were published in Journals with ISI impact index. 

Conclusions: Random studies are rare in Latin America compared to developed countries, mostly conducted in Universities in few countries and focusing on pediatric topics of relevance to them.