title: Factors associated with citation rates in the orthopedic literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Investigators aim to publish their work in top journals in an effort to achieve the greatest possible impact. One measure of impact is the number of times a paper is cited after its publication in a journal. We conducted a review of the highest impact clinical orthopedic journal (Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American volume [J Bone Joint Surg Am]) to determine factors associated with subsequent citations within 3 years of publication.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted citation counts for all original articles published in J Bone Joint Surg Am 2000 (12 issues). We used regression analysis to identify factors associated with citation counts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 137 original articles in the J Bone Joint Surg Am. There were 749 subsequent citations within 3 years of publication of these articles. Study design was the only variable associated with subsequent citation rate. Meta-analyses, randomized trials and basic science papers received significantly more citations (mean 15.5, 9.3 and 7.6, respectively) than did observational studies (mean retrospective 5.3, prospective 4.2) and case reports (mean 1.5) (p = 0.01). These study designs were also significantly more likely to be cited in the general medical literature (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that basic science articles and clinical articles with greater methodological safeguards against bias (randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses) are cited more frequently than are clinical studies with less rigorous study designs (observational studies and case reports).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: Mohit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Devereaux
authors.forename: Victor M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Montori
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Swiontkowski
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tornetta Iii
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Einhorn
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Khera
authors.forename: Emil H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Schemitsch
mesh_terms: D015706:Bibliometrics; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012107:Research Design