Turkey’s 2009 output of cardiovascular publications shows a four-year regression

The output of publications in cardiovascular medicine during 2009 originating from Turkey’s institutions were evaluated based on data of the Web of Knowledge. Only original articles and reviews appearing full-text in source publications of Science Citation Index CD Edition were included. A weighted credit system was used for items published jointly by multiple departments or with a noncardiological Turkish institution. Turkey’s publications declined substantially to 167 articles and reviews, with a parallel decrease in her share of world publication from 10.8 to 8.2 per mille. Six-sevenths of the output originated from adult cardiology. The median impact factor of 2.18 was higher roughly by 17% than in the previous year; half of the publications appeared in periodicals with an impact factor of 1.27 to 3.12, reflecting a consistent qualitative improvement. University medical faculties persisted to lag behind in productivity, while the Gülhane Military Medical Academy led by far, runners-up being the Turkish Society of Cardiology, Kartal Koşuyolu Research Hospital, and medical faculties of Başkent University and İstanbul University.