There are a limited number of ways in which the success of a biomedical journal can be assessed. The impact factor, with all its limitations, remains an internationally accepted index and can be used as a comparator between related specialist journals. Gut 's impact factor increased to 5.111 in 1999, placing us third behind Hepatology (5.621) and Gastroenterology (10.330). Gut is closing on the heels of Hepatology and we hope to move into second place in 2000. Gut 's rising impact factor is likely to be one reason why the number of original manuscripts submitted to the journal has risen by an annual 8–10% during the past three to four years. We have been delighted to receive an increasing number of high quality manuscripts on liver research and can reaffirm the journal's intention to remain committed to our subtitle—“ An …