A slew of studies

[GoodTaste]

Oxford Dictionary indicates that "slew", when refers to "a large number or quantity of something", is informal (a North American slang term).

The article is published in Nature, one of the world’s most influential journals in scientific field based in U.K.. That such an article, with its serious scientific attitude, starts with a North American slang term appears to be a bit odd.

The best guess I've got is that "slew" in this sense has been used more widely beyond North America and is probably familiar with UK readers. Am I on the right track?

================
Stillbirth rate rises dramatically during pandemic
Researchers stress need for antenatal care, as emerging data link disrupted pregnancy services to increase in stillbirths.


A slew of studies from around the world has reported a disturbing trend: since the coronavirus pandemic started, there has been a significant rise in the proportion of pregnancies ending in stillbirths, in which babies die in the womb.

Source: Nature Sep.15, 2020
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02618-5

 

[Rover_KE]

It's well known in British English. I'm surprised to see it's informal, but don't believe it to be slang.

 

[GoesStation]

It's not at all informal to me. It certainly isn't slang.

 

[SoothingDave]

It's not like they said "a buttload of studies..."

 

[PeterCW]

In BrE it not only implies quantiy but also distribution. Imagine the contents of a truck spilled across a wide area. "Slew" would then be an appropriate description but not for the same items gathered into a heap.

Used in this sense, as it appears to be in your example, I would not regard it as slang.

 

[Skrej]

It's not like they said "a buttload of studies..."

Ah, but are they metric or imperial buttloads?