Background: There is no detailed information on the scientific production in Pediatric Surgery (PS) in Spain, and we studied this problem by means of a model of bibliometric analysis.
Materials and methods: Retrospective study of all the articles published in the main pediatric Spanish journal (Anales Españoles de Pediadría) over a 13-year period (1984-1996). Quantitative and qualitative bibliometric indicators of the articles over PS were performed, and we studied also the main differences found between the period before (1984-87) and after (1988-96) the foundation of the journal Cirugía Pediátrica.
Results: PS is the subject matter in 7.6% (n = 227) of all the articles published in this pediatric journal. The main type of articles in PS were Clinical Notes (56.9%) and Originals (31.7%). The autonomous regions of Madrid, Cataluña, Valencia, Andalucía and País Vasco have the 70.4% of the total productivity in PS, and we also emphasize the relative productivity of others autonomous regions (mainly Extremadura). The essential authorship of the scientific activity in PS falls on hospitals, with no authorship on University and Health Care Centers. The two different bibliometric indicators in PS in relation to the other pediatric subspecialties are: the low statistical accessibility and the excessive use of English references, with a very low insularity index. After the foundation the journal Cirugía Pediaátrica, a reduction in the number of articles over PS (mainly Originals) published in Anales Españoles de Pediatría is noted.
Conclusions: PS have a significant quantitative importance in pediatric journals, with two negative differences in relation to the other pediatric subspecialties: low statistical accessibility and low insularity index. We think is important to increase the citation of Spanish publications and, specifically, articles at the journal Cirugía Pediátrica.