LAUSR

Publication in a reputable journal is an essential step in clinical cardiovascular research. Publication allows both dissemination and archiving of research results, including details of methodology, so that other researchers and the general public can assess the reliability of the data presented. In addition to selecting the best research papers for publication, the editorial team of each journal helps ensure the quality of published research via the process of peer review and revision, formal statistical review and editorial recommendations about wording, data presentation and graphics. Additional “mechanisms to improve transparency, trial reporting and overall study quality” include clinical trial registration and adherence to defined research guideline checklists.1 In this issue of Heart , Sims and colleagues1 looked at 19 major cardiology journals' author instructions for recommendations about trial registration and research guidelines. They then looked at articles in those journals to see if the trial registration number was indicated in the final publication (figure 1). Overall, 42% of journals did not require trial registration and 37% did not recommend even a single reporting guideline. These findings suggest that more attention to trial registration and research guideline checklists is needed by other major cardiology journals. Heart does require submission of the appropriate research checklist, lists the most common guidelines and directs authors to the Equator Network website (http://www.equator-network.org/) when …