A Curious Case of Eroded Citations and the Current Status of Top 50 Cited Articles by Indian Periodontists: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Context: The bibliometric studies on topmost articles on many subjects are available and fascinating, but there is no research available analyzing the fate of top-cited articles. The citation to an article is a dynamic process which is dependent on a multitude of factors and may indicate the direction of research. Aims: The aim of this study was to analyze using bibliometric approach the current status of the top 50 cited articles by Indian periodontists based on the PubMed database published in 2014. Settings and Design: The study was conducted at the Departments of Periodontology at Dental Council of India recognized Maharashtra Institute of Dental Sciences & Research, Latur. It is a comparative follow-up bibliometric citation analysis of publications by Indian Periodontists. Subjects and Methods: All the 50 top-cited articles were individually searched on PubMed and Google Scholar databases for their availability and citations. The citations received by these articles till November 25, 2022, by 11.00 a.m. Indian Standard Time were subjected to detailed analyses. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics using mean, median, range, percentages, and proportions were used for analysis. Results: Total citations to the 50 articles were increased from 597 (2012) to 932 (2022) with an overall increase of 6.7 citations/article. Seventeen (34%) articles showed a decrease in citations as compared to 2012 numbers; a decline of 99 citations with an average of 5.8 citations/article. One article showed no change, and the rest 32 (64%) noted an increase by 434, averaging 13.6 citations/article. The topmost 2012 article was relegated to the 10th spot in 2022 while it remained at the 6th spot in Google Scholar citations. In 2022, the topmost article received 57 PubMed and 466 Google Scholar citations. Conclusions: A top-cited or classic article may not remain at that position through its lifecycle, but goes on receiving citations. There are instances of “erosion in citations” as well which needs to be recognized and awareness among researchers is necessary. There is a need to identify the current top 50 classic articles and compare them with these to understand the focus on current research topics.