- Aims and Scope
- Open access · CC BY 4.0
Aims and Scope
The Journal of Arthritis Research and Therapy publishes arthritis and rheumatic disease research: basic, mechanistic, translational, clinical and applied research on arthritis and the rheumatic diseases.
Aims
- To publish rigorous research on the causes, mechanisms, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of arthritis and the rheumatic diseases.
- To bring basic, translational and clinical findings together, so that laboratory and clinical readers can build on each other’s work.
- To report evidence that informs the care of people with joint and autoimmune disease.
- To make this research freely available to everyone who can use it.
Research areas
JART considers research on any aspect of arthritis and the rheumatic diseases. The areas below are examples of the field, not a closed list. A topic that is not named here is welcome when it concerns the field.
- RheumatologyClinical and basic research across the rheumatic diseases.
- Inflammatory arthritisIncluding rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
- OsteoarthritisJoint degeneration, cartilage biology, risk factors and management.
- Autoimmune diseasesImmune mechanisms that drive joint and systemic disease.
- Biologics and disease-modifying therapiesTherapeutic strategies, their mechanisms, safety and outcomes.
- Biomarkers, immunology and painBiomarker discovery, immunology, pain management and musculoskeletal disorders.
- Joint and connective-tissue biologyCartilage, bone, synovium and the cells and signals that maintain or damage them.
- Pain, function and quality of lifePatient-reported outcomes, rehabilitation and self-management in arthritis.
- Epidemiology and health servicesRisk factors, burden, comorbidity and delivery of rheumatology care.
- Pharmacology and drug safetyEfficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of drugs used in rheumatic disease.
Study designs and approaches
Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods research is considered, from cell and animal models to clinical studies in people.
Laboratory and mechanistic
Cell, tissue, molecular, genetic and animal studies of disease mechanisms.
Translational
Biomarkers, imaging, target discovery and early-phase studies that link bench and bedside.
Clinical
Observational studies, trials, registries and studies of diagnosis, treatment and outcomes.
Applied and health services
Implementation, rehabilitation, education, economic evaluation and care-delivery research.
Evidence synthesis
Systematic reviews, meta-analyses and reviews of the literature.
Methods and data
New methods, outcome measures, protocols and datasets.
Article types
The journal publishes the article types below. Guidance on structure and reporting for each is given in the Instructions for Authors.
- Original ResearchEmpirical basic, mechanistic, translational, clinical or applied studies of arthritis and rheumatic disease.
- ReviewNarrative or expert reviews of a defined topic, with a clear account of how the literature was selected.
- Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisSystematic syntheses of evidence on a defined question, with or without meta-analysis.
- MethodsNew, adapted or validated methods, assays and outcome measures, and protocols for planned studies.
- Short CommunicationConcise reports of a focused or preliminary finding.
- Data NoteDescriptions of datasets of value to arthritis and rheumatology research, to support their reuse.
- Case ReportIndividual cases or short series that add new insight into diagnosis, mechanism, treatment or adverse effects.
- CommentaryEvidence-based argument on a current question or on published research.
- LetterBrief responses to published work, or short observations of relevance to the field.
Case reports with new insight, commentaries and letters are accepted. Where a manuscript sits between types, authors choose the closest type and explain the choice in the cover letter; the editors confirm the classification.
Questions
Is my topic within scope?
JART welcomes work on any aspect of arthritis and the rheumatic diseases, whether basic, mechanistic, translational, clinical or applied. If you are unsure, send the title and abstract to info@openaccesspub.org before submitting.
Does JART consider clinical studies?
Yes. Clinical, translational and applied studies are considered alongside basic and mechanistic research.
Are case reports accepted?
Yes, when the case adds new insight into diagnosis, mechanism, treatment or adverse effects. A short case series is submitted as a Case Report.
Can I submit work that has been posted as a preprint?
Yes. Posting a preprint is compatible with submission. Cite the preprint and its DOI in the cover letter.
Preparing a submission
Read the Instructions for Authors and the Editorial Policies before submitting.