Bob Dylan 2009

One of the major goals of the current PJP editorial policy is to stimulate the publication of controversial and candent issues related with Pulmonology. Moreover, it would be interesting to have a variety of topics that could achieve at least the most relevant subjects related with respiratory diseases.

In the last year, considering original papers and comments, five articles related with COPD (four concerning lung function issues) have been published, together with four about infectious disorders (two on bacterial pneumonia and two on tuberculosis), three about tobacco consumption, two about Interstitial Lung Diseases (sarcoidosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis), two about Sleep Disordered Breathing, two about pulmonary functional tests, two about pulmonary rehabilitation, two about neuromuscular disorders and one about asthma, vascular lung diseases, endoscopic techniques, oxygentherapy, and non-invasive ventilation.

Although this is an interesting diversity of topics, there are some areas that generate a significant interest that weren’t object of major publication as lung cancer or endoscopic techniques, both with only one paper published. Moreover, although a good number of papers were related with obstructive lung diseases, they were predominantly linked with COPD, with only one paper concerning asthma, which is one of topics with a higher number of papers in the international literature.

Considering the papers published in the last five years, the most cited topics were those related with tuberculosis and lung cancer. However when we measured the most accessed papers, we cannot define any predominance regarding to the published topics. Clinical research in all the fields regarding respiratory medicine has to be encouraged in our society and the leading experts and groups must support a high level of scientific intervention on a high level of research and scientific publications.

In the present number we have the privilege and opportunity to publish a very elegant commentary about new developments regarding the treatment of Lymphangioleiomyomatosis by one of the world leading experts, Taveira DaSilva1. Two original papers from two national centres were also published, one related with the value of PET-CT scan in lung cancer surgery2 and the other with lung function in the obese patients that are submitted to bariatric surgery3. One paper coming form Italy covers the radiological findings of H1N14. Finally, we had the chance to publish an original paper on animal research, more exactly about a model of emphysema in mice, which we hope will open a new field in our journal, which is basic research5.

So it is your turn to make Bob Dylan's song true for our journal and lend a hand for the «change is comin’ on»!