RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency with which free papers presented at the 2008 and 2010 European Society of Sports Traumatology Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) congress were ultimately published in peer-reviewed journals. Moreover, this study evaluated whether any correlations exist between the level of evidence of the free papers and their frequency of publication or the impact factor of the journals in which they are published. METHODS: Free papers presented at the 2008 and 2010 ESSKA congresses were included for assessment. Clinical papers (observational studies and trials involving direct interaction between an investigator and human subjects) were graded for level of evidence by two independent reviewers. A comprehensive strategy was used to search the databases PubMed, Ovid (MEDLINE), and EMBASE for all publications corresponding to the included free papers. RESULTS: Three hundred-ninety presentations were evaluated, of which 215 (55%) were ultimately published in a peer-reviewed journal within five years of the presentation date. The mean time from presentation to publication was 16 months (SD 25 months). There was no significant difference in the distribution of the level of evidence between studies that were ultimately published, versus those that were not published (n.s.). The level of evidence of the published study was not a significant predictor of the impact factor of the journal in which it was published (n.s.). Presentations were most commonly published in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy (24%) and The American Journal of Sports Medicine (22%). CONCLUSION: Free papers at the 2008 and 2010 ESSKA congress were published at a frequency that is comparable to that at other orthopaedic meetings. The publication rate was similar across all levels of evidence. Further encouragement of manuscript preparation and submission following these meetings could help to ensure important research findings are disseminated to large audiences.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: The European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) congress is an important venue, and the research presented can be a critical source of information used to impact clinical decisions and health policies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of evidence of clinical free papers presented at the ESSKA congress from 2008 to 2016. Moreover, this study evaluated whether there were any changes in the distribution of level of evidence over time. METHODS: Two reviewers screened the free papers presented at the ESSKA biannual congresses 2008-2016 for clinical evidence. Clinical papers included observational studies and trials involving direct interaction between an investigator and human subjects. Biomechanical studies, technique demonstrations, cadaveric studies, and panel discussions were excluded. The reviewers independently graded their level of evidence from level I (e.g. high-quality randomized trials) to level IV (e.g. case series and reports) using the classification system published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. RESULTS: Of 1036 free papers that were identified, 729 met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated. Overall, 18% of studies were level I, 24% level II, 25% level III, and 33% level IV evidence. There was a significant improvement in level of evidence over time (p < 0.0001), with the proportion of level I studies increasing most dramatically (9% in 2008, 20% in 2012, 24% in 2016). Free papers studying the knee had higher levels of evidence than those evaluating other joints (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The level of evidence of clinical free papers presented at the ESSKA congress between 2008 and 2016 is high relative to other orthopaedic meetings. Moreover, there has been a significant improvement in the level of evidence over time. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review, Level IV.
