Abstract
BackgroundSince 1990 non communicable diseases and injuries account for the majority of death and disability-adjusted life years in Latin America. We analyzed the relationship between the global burden of disease and Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) conducted in Latin America that were published in the five leading medical journals.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe included all RCTs in humans, exclusively conducted in Latin American countries, and published in any of the following journals: Annals of Internal Medicine, British Medical Journal, Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine. We described the trials and reported the number of RCTs according to the main categories of the global burden of disease. Sixty-six RCTs were identified. Communicable diseases accounted for 38 (57%) reports. Maternal, perinatal, and nutritional conditions accounted for 19 (29%) trials. Non-communicable diseases represent 48% of the global burden of disease but only 14% of reported trials. No trial addressed injuries despite its 18% contribution to the burden of disease in 2000.Conclusions/SignificanceA poor correlation between the burden of disease and RCTs publications was found. Non communicable diseases and injuries account for up to two thirds of the burden of disease in Latin America but these topics are seldom addressed in published RCTs in the selected sample of journals. Funding bodies of health research and editors should be aware of the increasing burden of non communicable diseases and injuries occurring in Latin America to ensure that this growing epidemic is not neglected in the research agenda and not affected by publication bias.
Highlights
It has been estimated that less than 10% of health research spending is directed toward diseases or conditions that account for 90% of the global burden of disease, a phenomenon referred to as the ‘‘10/90 gap’’.[1]
Five of the world’s leading medical journals—Annals of Internal Medicine, British Medical Journal (BMJ), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)—have together the highest impact in medical research, and they can have a large influence on clinical medicine and public health worldwide
We analyzed the relationship between the global burden of disease and Randomized Clinical Trials (RCTs) conducted in Latin America published in five leading medical journals
Summary
It has been estimated that less than 10% of health research spending is directed toward diseases or conditions that account for 90% of the global burden of disease, a phenomenon referred to as the ‘‘10/90 gap’’.[1]. Latin-American and Caribbean countries have experienced a rapid epidemiological transition and since 1990 non communicable diseases and injuries already account for the majority of death and disability-adjusted life years in the region.[10,11] No previous studies have investigated the relationship between RCTs and the burden of disease in Latin America Description of this relationship can provide information about gaps between the health needs and the research conducted in the region. We analyzed the relationship between the global burden of disease and RCTs conducted in Latin America published in five leading medical journals
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