title: Citation classics in trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The evolution of trauma may be analyzed by review of articles most frequently cited by scientific articles worldwide. This study identified the "trauma classics" by reviewing the most-cited articles ever published in The Journal of Trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Science Citation Index of the Institute for Scientific Information was searched for the 50 most-cited articles in The Journal of Trauma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 12,672 articles published since 1961, 80 were cited over 100 times and 17 over 200 times. The most-cited article was by Baker, a hallmark publication on injury scoring published in 1974. Feeding postinjury, bacterial translocation, and multiple organ failure were common themes. Overall, 32% involved gastrointestinal topics and 18% involved injury scoring, with institutions in the United States publishing 80% of the articles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identified the trauma classics from the last 42 years of The Journal of Trauma. Citation analysis has recognized limitations but gives a fascinating insight into the evolution of trauma care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia. j.ollerton@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Joanne Emma
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ollerton
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugrue
mesh_terms: D015706:Bibliometrics; D006801:Humans; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011643:Publishing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries