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. 2015 Mar-Apr;133(2):109-14.
doi: 10.1590/1516-3180.2013.8040011.

Searching for randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews on exercise. A descriptive study

Antonio José Grande  1 , Tammy Hoffmann  2 , Paul Glasziou  2
Affiliations

Searching for randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews on exercise. A descriptive study

Antonio José Grande et al. Sao Paulo Med J. 2015 Mar-Apr.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Context and objective: The current paradigm of science is to accumulate as much research data as possible, with less thought given to navigation or synthesis of the resulting mass, which hampers locating and using the research. The aim here was to describe the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) focusing on exercise, and their journal sources, that have been indexed in PubMed over time.

Design and setting: Descriptive study conducted at Bond University, Australia.

Method: To find RCTs, a search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries, using the category "Therapy" and the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) term "Exercise". To find SRs, a search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries, using the category "Therapy", the MeSH term "Exercise" and various methodological filters.

Results: Up until 2011, 9,354 RCTs about exercise were published in 1,250 journals and 1,262 SRs in 513 journals. Journals in the area of Sports Science published the greatest number of RCTs and journals categorized as belonging to "Other health professions" area (for example nursing or psychology) published the greatest number of SRs. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was the principal source for SRs, with 9.8% of the total, while the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise published 4.4% and 5.0% of the RCTs, respectively.

Conclusions: The rapid growth and resulting scatter of RCTs and SRs on exercise presents challenges for locating and using this research. Solutions for this issue need to be considered.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO:: O paradigma atual da ciência é acumular o máximo de dados de pesquisa possível, com menos atenção dada a navegação ou a síntese do volume resultante, o que dificulta a localização e utilização das pesquisas. O objetivo foi descrever o número de ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECRs) e revisões sistemáticas (RSs) focados em exercício físico publicados em periódicos, que foram indexados no PubMed ao longo do tempo.

TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL:: Estudo descritivo conduzido na Bond University, Austrália.

MÉTODO:: Para encontrar ECRs, foi realizada uma busca no PubMed Clinical Queries, usando a categoria “Terapia” e o termo de Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) “Exercício”. Para encontrar RSs, foi realizada uma busca no PubMed Clinical Queries, usando a categoria “Therapy” e o termo MeSH “Exercício” e vários filtros.

RESULTADOS:: Até 2011, 9.354 ECRs sobre exercício foram publicados em 1.250 periódicos e 1.262 RSs em 513 periódicos. Periódicos na área de Ciências do Esporte publicaram o maior número de ECRs e revistas classificadas como pertencentes à area “Outras profissões de saúde” (por exemplo, enfermagem ou psicologia) publicaram o maior número de RSs. A Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews foi a principal fonte para RSs, com 9,8% do total, enquanto o Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research e o Medicine & Science Sports & Exercise publicaram 4,4% e 5,0% dos ECRs, respectivamente.

CONCLUSÃO:: O rápido crescimento e consequente dispersão dos ECRs e RSs sobre exercício físico apresentam desafios para localizar e usar pesquisas. Precisa-se de reflexões sobre a resolução do assunto.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None

Figures

Table 1.
Table 1.. Number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) on exercise per journal category
Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) on exercise published each year.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on exercise published each year, in each broad area of knowledge.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Number of systematic reviews (SRs) on exercise published each year, in each broad area of knowledge.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. The 20 journals that have published the highest numbers of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on exercise, as well as the number of systematic reviews (SRs) on exercise that these journals have published.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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