Abstract
Since our journal's launch in 2003 our scientific and professional scope has been expanding rapidly and we are getting stronger with every issue. Our impact factor, under the ISI cardiac and cardiovascular systems category, is now an impressive 3.0. This debut is based on citations in 2004 to the articles published in the first three issues of our new journal in 2003. So we are currently ranked 15 in the top 20 cardiovascular journals. Our strength lies in the scientific, clinical and public health disciplines we serve in relation to the causes and prevention of cardiovascular disease, and we are attracting a wide diversity of original scientific papers. We have expanded the scope of our journal with the addition of a new section on sports cardiology and highlighting ‘basic science’ as a separate section under original scientific papers. Our short reports continue to provide efficient publication of key scientific results without a full text article.
Submissions of original scientific papers continue to rise. In 2002, our predecessor journal had 100 submissions. With the launch of our new journal this rose to 160 in 2003, 240 in 2004 and last year there were 300 submissions. As submissions rise our acceptance rate is falling, and currently we are only accepting one in four papers. The quality of our published papers is high and as submissions continue to rise we will have to become even more selective. We do not plan to increase the number of issues, currently six per annum, as we only want to publish high-quality articles. This is consistent with our overall aim, which is to publish the best science in EJCPR and to do so in a timely fashion.
We are continuing to work hard to achieve our promise of rapid peer review within 6 weeks of submission and publication within 2 months of acceptance. We are not yet, however, achieving this standard. This is principally because of the response time of busy reviewers working to our team of Associate Editors. So we are increasing the number of our Associate Editors from eight to 10 with the addition of an Associate Editor for sports cardiology, and a second Associate Editor with responsibility for medical statistics. Our international editorial board is also being reviewed and expanded in order to expedite the daily peer review process. If you would like to play a more active role in EJCPR why not apply to join our international editorial board? You need to be a scientist or health professional with an active academic and service record. You can expect to work hard by reviewing about 10 scientific papers per annum in a timely manner. If you are interested then write to the Editors with a copy of your curriculum vitae
We have streamlined our editorial process with Editorial Manager, a web-based tracking system. This was launched in March of this year and allows all papers to be worked on electronically from the editorial offices in Bern and London through our Associate Editors and individual reviewers. Editorial Manager allows you to submit a paper from anywhere with an internet link. The most graphic illustration of this web-based system was an article submitted from outer space by the Commander of Expedition 10 at the International Space Station (although to the Journal of Trauma). This electronic process now provides greater transparency for the authors who can track the progress of their article through the peer review process. This system combined with a new production tracking system at our publishers paves the way for pre-publication online before print.
The journal is available to members through the society's website
(www.escardiocontent.org) and through the Lippincott Williams and Wilkins’
website (www.ejcpr.com). Institutional subscribers gain access through Ovid. Our journal
has benefited in several ways from inclusion in
Although we are still a young journal we are now commercially viable having made a profit in 2004, and expecting to do so again in 2005. This is being invested in the journal but is also being shared with the new European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation. The principal source of revenue for our journal was from Ovid and the continued sales of the supplement of the Joint European Societies’ Guidelines on CVD Prevention.
This year will see the first EuroPrevent meeting from 11 to 13 May in Athens. This is the first official meeting of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (EACPR; website: http://www.euro-prevent2006.com/) The EACPR seeks to promote the principles and best practice of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation, and to contribute to continuing professional development and training. The scientific abstracts of this meeting will be published as a supplement to our journal.
You can order your own personal copy of our journal. For members of the European
Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, the cost is
≥100 and for other members of the European Society of Cardiology
≥133. As a subscriber you can access EJCPR online as well as
receiving a print copy of each issue. You can order your personal copy by contacting
Micheline Iscache (