Abstract
Objective: To assess the prevalence, content, and application of data-sharing statements (DSS) in high impact cardiology journals.
Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of global mortality. Significant investments are made in CVD research, underscoring the need for high-quality research. Data-sharing is essential to advance medical research by enhancing transparency and accountability. Despite its importance, adherence to DSS in published manuscripts remains inconsistent.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search in MEDLINE (PubMed) identified clinical studies published in five of the top cardiology journals between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023. Data extraction was performed using a standardized form in a masked, duplicate manner, and hierarchical logistic regression was applied to identify influential characteristics related to the inclusion of DSS. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis was conducted to describe common themes in statements, and corresponding authors were contacted to assess their willingness to share data.
Results: Of the 1,116 articles meeting inclusion criteria, 477 (42.74%) included a DSS. Clinical trials had a higher rate of DSS (48.17%) compared to cohort studies (29.25%). Journals with higher impact factors were more likely to include DSS. The most common theme in DSS was the "gatekeeper" role, where data access requires contacting an entity. Only 27.68% of authors responded, with less than a third willing to share data. Higher impact factor, open access status, and blended funding sources positively influenced DSS inclusion.
Conclusion: While the prevalence of DSS in cardiology research is increasing, significant gaps remain. Enhancing transparency and reproducibility in cardiology research will require overcoming barriers to data-sharing and ensuring that DSS commitments are upheld. Furthermore, journals and funding agencies should enact and enforce more stringent DSS policies or explore the use of Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines as a framework for data-sharing practices.Objective: To assess the prevalence, content, and application of data-sharing statements (DSS) in high impact cardiology journals.
Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of global mortality. Significant investments are made in CVD research, underscoring the need for high-quality research. Data-sharing is essential to advance medical research by enhancing transparency and accountability. Despite its importance, adherence to DSS in published manuscripts remains inconsistent.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search in MEDLINE (PubMed) identified clinical studies published in five of the top cardiology journals between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2023. Data extraction was performed using a standardized form in a masked, duplicate manner, and hierarchical logistic regression was applied to identify influential characteristics related to the inclusion of DSS. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis was conducted to describe common themes in statements, and corresponding authors were contacted to assess their willingness to share data.
Results: Of the 1,116 articles meeting inclusion criteria, 477 (42.74%) included a DSS. Clinical trials had a higher rate of DSS (48.17%) compared to cohort studies (29.25%). Journals with higher impact factors were more likely to include DSS. The most common theme in DSS was the "gatekeeper" role, where data access requires contacting an entity. Only 27.68% of authors responded, with less than a third willing to share data. Higher impact factor, open access status, and blended funding sources positively influenced DSS inclusion.
Conclusion: While the prevalence of DSS in cardiology research is increasing, significant gaps remain. Enhancing transparency and reproducibility in cardiology research will require overcoming barriers to data-sharing and ensuring that DSS commitments are upheld. Furthermore, journals and funding agencies should enact and enforce more stringent DSS policies or explore the use of Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines as a framework for data-sharing practices.Objective: To assess the prevalence, content, and application of data-sharing statements (DSS) in high impact cardiology journals.
| Original language | American English |
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| State | Published - 14 Feb 2025 |
| Event | Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Research Week 2025 - Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa, United States Duration: 10 Feb 2025 → 14 Feb 2025 https://medicine.okstate.edu/research/research_days.html |
Conference
| Conference | Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Research Week 2025 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Tulsa |
| Period | 10/02/25 → 14/02/25 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- transparency
- reproducibility
- cardiology
- data sharing