Abstract
Background: Insufficient reproducibility in scientific research undermines credibility and progress, particularly in medical fields. Reproducibility requires raw data availability, which is not always provided. The data sharing landscape in rheumatology research has yet to be adequately assessed, leading us to initiate this study. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of data sharing statements (DSS) in rheumatology clinical studies published over the past four years in ten of the top rheumatology journals.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review of articles published from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023, in ten of the highest-impact rheumatology journals. Articles were included if they provided new primary data through original research, and articles were excluded if there was no new primary data found. Prevalence, defined as the proportion of studies including DSS, was the primary estimate.
Results: A total of 1,154 articles were identified, of which 41 were excluded for failing to meet inclusion criteria, leaving 1,113 for analysis. Among these, Rheumatology was the most represented journal (286; 25.70%), and clinical trials were the most common study design (591; 53.10%). The highest number of publications occurred in 2020 (314; 28.21%). Overall, 623 (55.97%) had DSS. Six of the eight top rheumatology journals showed an overall increase in DSS prevalence from 2020 to 2023, with Rheumatology reaching 100% in 2023. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis indicated that cohort studies were significantly less likely to include DSS than clinical trials (p = 0.013). Our theme analysis of the 623 articles with DSS revealed that most data were conditionally available (553; 88.75%) or required making a data request (479; 76.89%).
Conclusions: Our study describes data sharing practices in rheumatology research, highlighting trends in DSS prevalence and the influence of journal policies requiring DSS statements. While organisations like the American College of Rheumatology and National Institute of Health have promoted these practices, inconsistencies remain. We recommend implementing a standardised DSS requirement during author submission to enhance data transparency in rheumatology research.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review of articles published from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2023, in ten of the highest-impact rheumatology journals. Articles were included if they provided new primary data through original research, and articles were excluded if there was no new primary data found. Prevalence, defined as the proportion of studies including DSS, was the primary estimate.
Results: A total of 1,154 articles were identified, of which 41 were excluded for failing to meet inclusion criteria, leaving 1,113 for analysis. Among these, Rheumatology was the most represented journal (286; 25.70%), and clinical trials were the most common study design (591; 53.10%). The highest number of publications occurred in 2020 (314; 28.21%). Overall, 623 (55.97%) had DSS. Six of the eight top rheumatology journals showed an overall increase in DSS prevalence from 2020 to 2023, with Rheumatology reaching 100% in 2023. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis indicated that cohort studies were significantly less likely to include DSS than clinical trials (p = 0.013). Our theme analysis of the 623 articles with DSS revealed that most data were conditionally available (553; 88.75%) or required making a data request (479; 76.89%).
Conclusions: Our study describes data sharing practices in rheumatology research, highlighting trends in DSS prevalence and the influence of journal policies requiring DSS statements. While organisations like the American College of Rheumatology and National Institute of Health have promoted these practices, inconsistencies remain. We recommend implementing a standardised DSS requirement during author submission to enhance data transparency in rheumatology research.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| 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
- data sharing
- systematic review
- rheumatology