In the first half of 1964, the Spanish section of the International Association for the Study of Bronchi (AIEB), which subsequently became the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), established a new scientific journal to serve as its official publication. This was named “Archivos de Bronconeumología”.1 The inaugural issue of the journal included introductory remarks from the then-president of the Spanish AIEB section, followed by a review of a presentation at the VIII Meeting of the Spanish AIEB section on preoperative respiratory functional exploration.2

Since its inception, several significant dates have marked the progression of Archivos de Bronconeumología (Fig. 1). The journal was initially created as a Spanish-language publication, but in 2003 it began to include English translations of its content and to accept articles in English, effectively becoming bilingual. This transition was prompted by the journal's transition to a fully online format, which finally saw the cessation of print publication in 2022. Initially created as the official journal of the SEPAR, it is currently also an official publication of the Latin American Thoracic Association since 2000 and the Ibero-American Thoracic Surgery Association since 2006. The journal's content has evolved in tandem with the growth of SEPAR. Initially, it focused on publishing summaries of scientific meetings and a few reviews. However, it soon began to include original research and clinical case reports. Consequently, the journal has documented SEPAR's development over the years, reflecting the rising quality of Spanish researchers and effectively becoming the primary scientific outlet of the society. The editorial management of the journal has also witnessed several significant milestones. Initially published by the pharmaceutical laboratory Liade, SA, it began to be managed by the professional publishing house Doyma SA in Barcelona in 1974.1 In 2008, the international publisher Elsevier acquired Doyma and assumed responsibility for the journal's management from its headquarters in Barcelona.

Fig. 1.

Summary of the main milestones in the history of Archivos de Bronconeumología.

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Over the course of the past few decades, the journal Archivos de Bronconeumología has witnessed a marked and sustained increase in its bibliometric impact. Since its inclusion in the Index Medicus in 1994 and the Institute for Scientific Information in 2001, the journal has demonstrated a consistent pattern of bibliometric growth.3 In 2003, the journal achieved its first impact factor and has since continued to enhance its standing within the scientific community.4 By 2018, the journal reached the first quartile of the most relevant journal in respiratory medicine. By 2022, the journal had reached an impressive impact factor of 8, which positioned it among the top 10 pulmonary journals worldwide. In 2023, the impact factor of Archivos de Bronconeumología increased to 8.7 points, solidifying its position in the top decile of journals dedicated to the respiratory system and establishing it as the most prominent among all Spanish medical journals. Consequently, the journal now ranks on par with other leading publications in the respiratory field. This achievement reflects not only the quality of published articles but also the collective efforts of editors, reviewers, and authors, enhancing the visibility and impact of its publications.5 Consequently, it has contributed to advancing the quality of respiratory health research, facilitating the implementation of evidence-based clinical and therapeutic practices.

Today, Archivos de Bronconeumología is currently an internationally renowned, well-established, and reliable scientific respiratory journal. The journal has a global readership, an international roster of reviewers, and an relevant impact factor. Over the years, the journal has played a significant role in disseminating key research in the field of respiratory health across various thematic areas, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinics, surgery, and basic research in medical and surgical aspects of respiratory diseases. This thematic diversity has made the journal an essential platform for communicating scientific and clinical advancements in respiratory medicine.

The future of Archivos de Bronconeumología appears promising, although it is confronted with a number of challenges on the horizon. The principal challenge is to enhance the journal's international visibility. At present, despite being an English-language journal, approximately half of its articles are contributed by Spanish authors. While the scientific contributions of Spanish researchers are acknowledged, it would be desirable to attract investigators from other countries who are equally outstanding. In this context, an ongoing debate within the scientific community concerns the potential impact of renaming the journal. Currently, Archivos de Bronconeumología publishes all its content in English while retaining its original Spanish name. A change to an English title could yield several positive effects, including greater international accessibility, increased visibility, and citations. However, this transition would also entail challenges, such as the potential loss of identity due to the journal's established history and recognition within the Spanish-speaking community, as well as a temporary absence of impact factor recognition during the transition period.6

Additionally, the publishing industry is currently confronted with two significant challenges in the near future. The open science movement represents a transformative shift that is already underway and is set to have a significant impact on the future of scientific research. The potential for open science to significantly accelerate scientific progress is contingent upon its ability to enable researchers to share and collaborate on data, methods, and findings in an efficient manner.7,8 However, open science also presents challenges related to data privacy, misuse risks and potential impacts on research quality. This debate becomes particularly significant when discussing clinical trial results conducted by the pharmaceutical industry.9

Another imminent challenge for the future is the advent of artificial intelligence in the publishing sector. In an increasingly digital environment, in which a plethora of digital tools have been developed based on artificial intelligence technologies, the impact of artificial intelligence on publishing was inevitable.10 The editorial world will have to learn on how to deal and manage the impact of these new tools in an ethical and judicious manner, with due consideration of the fact that the primary objective of scientific publications is to advance our comprehension of respiratory diseases through the presentation of novel and reliable data.

In conclusion, the evolution of Archivos de Bronconeumología over the past 60 years stands as a testament to its unwavering commitment to scientific excellence, marked by significant contributions in two distinct ways. Firstly, the journal has evolved alongside the scientific community it represents, reflecting the growth, maturity, and progression of SEPAR as a leading scientific society and its members. Secondly, its importance in the field of respiratory health research is indisputable, establishing it as a international cornerstone publication in this domain. As it faces future challenges, the journal remains resolute in maintaining its relevance and quality within an ever-evolving scientific landscape.