Journal profile · Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Journal of Hepatology
ISSN 0168-8278 · eISSN 1600-0641 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Monthly
Journal of Hepatology: CAS Zone 1 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 39.26; hybrid open access; APC about USD 5,500; median 56 days to acceptance (81 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: about 27.5%; 2,419 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Hepatology is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment, Hepatitis C virus research and Liver Disease and Transplantation, together about 51.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Hepatology. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Journal of Hepatology is the leading publication in the field of liver disease and the flagship journal of the European Association for the Study of the Liver.Journal of Hepatology aims to publish cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical research describing novel mechanisms of disease and new management strategies in hepatology. It publishes original peer reviewed research articles, reviews, expert opinions, and letters to the Editor on the following topics:Metabolic Associated Steatotic Liver Disease(MASLD),Alcohol-related Liver Diseases,Viral Hepatitis,Drug-induced Liver Injury,Autoimmune, Cholestatic and Genetic Diseases,Acute liver failure,Cirrhosis and its complications,Acute on Chronic Liver failure,Hepatic and Biliary Cancer,Liver Transplantation,Experimental and Translational Hepatology,Innovative Diagnostics,Modelling and Digital Hepatology,Paediatric Hepatology.Submissions likely to have an impact on clinical practice are particularly welcomed.Since 2019, JHEPAT also has a gold open access companion title JHEP Reports.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Editor-in-chief Vlad RatziuPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 7 in mainland China (about 3%); most named United States 38, France 25, Germany 19, United Kingdom 18, Spain 14 (210 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Liver Disease Diagnosis and TreatmentMedicine26%
- Hepatitis C virus researchMedicine15.4%
- Liver Disease and TransplantationMedicine10.5%
- Hepatitis B Virus StudiesMedicine10.3%
- Liver Diseases and ImmunityMedicine5.4%
- Liver physiology and pathologyMedicine4.3%
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and PrognosisMedicine4%
- Organ Transplantation Techniques and OutcomesMedicine3.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Gastroenterology & Hepatology | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 39.26LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 40.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 61.6LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 61.6Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 13.1LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 7.85LetPub ·
- h-index
- 216LetPub ·
- h-index
- 385OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 11,262OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.51OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 3.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 39.85%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 175LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 58,107 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,664 | 108 | 394 |
| 2025 | 2,419 | 251 | 4,838 |
| 2024 | 2,476 | 391 | 13,745 |
| 2023 | 2,467 | 390 | 25,525 |
| 2022 | 2,263 | 394 | 25,368 |
| 2021 | 602 | 358 | 39,348 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
56 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 12 days – 136 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 15 days (79 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 86 days
- Sample
- 81 articles with submission and acceptance dates (1,004 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 1 monthLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 27.5%LetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 35 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 19 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 5,500 / EUR 5,150 / GBP 4,400 / JPY 682,170 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 5,320 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare2 items from the author guidelines
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 6,000 words
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
Article types accepted10, with length limits
- case reportg clinical information. The length of a case report should not exceed 3000 words. A total number of 2 tables or figures is allowed. Referencmain text ≤ 3,000 words
- case reportsCase reports are not encouraged and will only be accepted if they represent an outstanding contribution to the aetiology, pathogenesis or treatment of a specifi…Length not stated
- editorialPlease address all inquiries to the Journal of Hepatology editorial office at jhepatology@easloffice.eu.All manuscripts must be submitted via: https: https://ww…main text ≤ 1,500 words · figures and tables ≤ 1
- editorialsThis section consists of invited brief editorial comments on articles published in the Journal of Hepatology.Length not stated
- fast-track peer reviewFast-track peer review offers a rapid peer review of major original articles with content seen as time-sensitive.Length not stated
- letters to the editorIn recent years, the Journal of Hepatology has witnessed a marked increase in the number of Letters to the Editor submitted for consideration. While we continue…main text ≤ 800 words
- original manuscriptsOriginal articles describing clinical and basic investigations in the field of hepatology.Length not stated
- reviewAuthors should be aware that manuscripts will be screened upon submission. Only the manuscripts, which fully comply with the submission requirements outlined an…Length not stated
- review articleReview articles on selected clinical and basic topics of interest for the readers of the Journal of Hepatology that are solicited by the Editors. Review article…main text ≤ 5,000 words
- review articlesReview articles on selected clinical and basic topics of interest for the readers of the Journal of Hepatology that are solicited by the Editors.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Trial registration / reporting guidelines
- AI use Generative AI and Figures, images and artwork
Please read our policy on the use of generative AI and AI-assisted tools in figures, images and artwork, which can be found in Elsevier’s GenAI Policies for Journals.This policy states: AI tools may be used to support the creation of explanatory images (such as flow charts, conceptual diagrams, or schematic illustrations)AI tools may be used to create data visualizations (such as plots, charts, gr…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Changes to authorship
This policy concerns the addition, deletion, or rearrangement of author names in the authorship of accepted manuscripts. Before the accepted manuscript is published in an online issue, requests to add or remove an author, or to rearrange the author names, must be sent to the Journal Manager at jhepat@elsevier.com from the corresponding author of the accepted manuscript and must include:(a) the rea…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures
Declaration of interestAll authors are required to provide a Declaration of Interest Statement and should complete a standard form, which is available at www.icmje.org/conflicts-of-interest/. This form should be uploaded with the revised manuscript at submission. Further information is available at http://www.icmje.org/recommendations as well. The forms should be uploaded as a single supplementary…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Upon acceptance of an article, authors will be asked to complete a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' which contains forms for copyright assignment, financial disclosures and authorship responsibility. An e-mail will be sent to the corresponding author confirming receipt of the manuscript together with a 'Journal Publishing Agreement' form or a link to the online version of this agreement. It is the a…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
This journal does not ordinarily have publication charges; however, authors can now opt to make their articles available to all (including non-subscribers) via the ScienceDirect platform, for which a fee of US $5320 applies (for further information on open access see https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-hepatology/publish/open-access-options). Please note that you can only make this ch…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Fast-track peer review
Fast-track peer review offers a rapid peer review of major original articles with content seen as time-sensitive. Authors who wish their articles to be considered for fast-track peer review should send the manuscript title, abstract and list of authors (and, if applicable, investigators) along with a justified request and an estimated date of submission to the Editor-in-Chief and the journal offic…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Trial registration / reporting guidelines Reporting guidelines
The Journal of Hepatology endorses the use of an appropriate reporting guideline when writing any health research manuscript. You can find the most commonly required reporting guidelines below or on the EQUATOR Network , which also gives general information on how to choose the correct guideline and why guidelines are important.At the minimum, your article should report the content addressed by ea…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- ISSN
- 0168-8278
- Electronic ISSN
- 1600-0641
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Hepatology
What CAS zone is Journal of Hepatology in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Hepatology is in Zone 1 of Medicine, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Gastroenterology & Hepatology; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Hepatology?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 39.26; CiteScore 61.6, h-index 385.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Hepatology?
Based on the dates recorded on 81 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 56 days (interquartile range 12–136 days); authors report an average review time of about 1 month; the community-reported acceptance is “about 27.5%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Journal of Hepatology?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Manuscript length: ≤ 6,000 words; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Hepatology based?
Of the 210 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 7 (about 3%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (38), France (25) and Germany (19). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Hepatology?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Hepatology is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Journal of Hepatology open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Hepatology is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 5,500.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .