[Measure of plan Azheimer's impact on the university hospitals articles production through SIGAPS data].

INTRODUCTION: A third Alzheimer and related diseases plan (AP), including a detailed research part has been implemented from 2008 to 2013. The aim of this study was to assess the AP impact on the original articles production concerning Alzheimer and related disease (AD) before (2004-2008) and after its implementation (2009-2013).

METHODS: Number and impact factor (IF) based ranking of original articles coming from French University Hospitals (CHU) have been assessed using the data provided by the SIGAPS bibliometric software used so far for calculating allocation of the governmental medical research funding (MERRI). Scientific production on AD has been compared to four other control pathologies: 2 neurologic (stroke and Parkinson disease) and 2 non-neurologic (diabetes and AIDS). Publication trends of the 27 CHU and of the 7 Interregional grouping of clinical research and innovation (GIRCI) have been analyzed using specialization indices (SI).

RESULTS: The number of AD articles increased from 1277 to 1972 (+54.4 %) as well as SIGAPS score from 18,038 to 29,309 (+62.5 %). Meanwhile number of articles rated A and B (published in the 25 % best journals of the specialty) increased from 430 to 846 (+114.1 %). The figures for these indicators evolved similarly for AD and stroke while quite differently for the 3 other diseases: plateauing at a high level for Parkinson disease and AIDS and modestly increasing for diabetes. SI was>1 for the 3 neurologic diseases, including AD in North-Western and South-West GIRCI. SI of CHU on AD did not vary before and after AP implementation, 4 CHU having both a production and an SI at a high level: Toulouse, Bordeaux, Montpellier and Lille.

CONCLUSION: The number and "quality" of original articles on AD production by the CHU increased after the AP starting of AP initiation in 2008. Whether or not this was directly due to the financial support provided by the AP remains to be determined. The scientific production on AD was unequally distributed throughout the country, the CHU being already strongly involved in AD research before the AP reinforced their commitment after. This work illustrates the potential implication of SIGAPS as a strategic tool for research policy.