The 100 Classic Papers in Spinal Deformity Surgery

Publication rates of abstracts presented across 6 major spine specialty conferences

Background

Although scientific researchers aim to present their projects at academic conferences as a step toward publication, not all projects mature to become a peer-reviewed manuscript. The publication rate of meetings can be utilized to assess the quality of presented research. Our objective was to evaluate the contemporary publication rate of abstracts presented at spine conferences.

Methods

We reviewed annual meeting programs of North American Spine Society (NASS), Scoliosis Research Society (SRS), International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques (IMAST), Spine Global Spine Congress (GSC), Lumbar Spine Research Society (LSRS), and Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS) from 2017 to 2019. Abstracts were identified as published from PubMed and Google search. From published manuscripts, journal name and open access status was collected. Journal impact factors were collected from the 2021 Journal Citation Reports.

Results

A total of 3,091/5,722 (54%) abstracts were published, ranging from 44.5% to 66.3%. Publication rate of posters and podiums ranged from 39.8% to 64.8% and 51.6% to 67.2%, respectively. Podium presentations were more likely to be published than posters (59.6% vs. 47.2%, p<.001). Only NASS (61.4% vs. 61.8%) and LSRS (64.6% vs. 67.2%) demonstrated similar publication rates for posters and podiums. Award nominated abstracts had a significantly higher publication rate (68.0% vs. 53.4%, p<.001). Among journals with an impact factor, the median overall impact factor was 3.27 and was similar between all conferences except GSC, which was slightly lower (2.72 vs. 3.27, p<.001).

Conclusions

Fifty-four percent of abstracts were published with 3 societies (NASS, LSRS, and SRS) having rates of over 60%. Moreover, NASS and LSRS demonstrated high publication rates regardless of presentation type. These numbers are significantly higher than previous reports suggesting that these conferences allow attendees to review high quality evidence that is likely to achieve peer-reviewed publication while obtaining an early look at original research.

Citation analysis of the 100 top-cited articles on the topic of hidradenitis suppurativa since 2013 using Sankey diagrams: Bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory and debilitating dermatosis characterized by painful nodules, sinus tracts and abscesses in apocrine gland-bearing areas that predominantly affect women worldwide. New therapeutic interventions based on the clinical manifestations of patients have recently been introduced in numerous articles. However, which countries, journals, subject categories, and articles have the ultimate influence remain unknown. This study aimed to display influential entities in 100 top-cited HS-related articles (T100HS) and investigate whether medical subject headings (i.e., MeSH terms) can be used to predict article citations.

METHODS

T100HS data were extracted from PubMed since 2013. Subject categories were classified by MeSH terms using social network analysis. Sankey diagrams were applied to highlight the top 10 influential entities in T100HS from the three aspects of publication, citations, and the composited score using the hT index. The difference in article citations across subject categories and the predictive power of MeSH terms on article citations in T100HS were examined using one-way analysis of variance and regression analysis.

RESULTS

The top three countries (the US, Italy, and Spain) accounts for 54% of the T100HS. The T100HS impact factor (IF) is 12.49 (IF = citations/100). Most articles were published in J Am Acad Dermatol (15%; IF = 18.07). Eight subject categories were used. The "methods" was the most frequent MeSH term, followed by "surgery" and "therapeutic use". Saunte et al, from Roskilde Hospital, Denmark, had 149 citations in PubMed for the most cited articles. Sankey diagrams were used to depict the network characteristics of the T100HS. Article citations did not differ by subject category (F(7, 92) = 1.97, P = .067). MeSH terms were evident in the number of article citations predicted (F(1, 98) = 129.1106; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

We achieved a breakthrough by displaying the characteristics of the T100HS network on the Sankey diagrams. MeSH terms may be used to classify articles into subject categories and predict T100HS citations. Future studies can apply the Sankey diagram to the bibliometrics of the 100 most-cited articles.

Comparing the similarity and differences in MeSH terms associated with spine-specific journals using the forest plot: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

A common concern in the literature is the comparison of the similarities and differences between research journals, as well as the types of research they publish. At present, there are no clear methodologies that can be applied to a given article of interest. When authors use an effective and efficient method to locate journals in similar fields, they benefit greatly. By using the forest plot and major medical subject headings (MeSH terms) of Spine (Phila Pa 1976) compared to Spine J, this study: displays relatively similar journals to the target journal online and identifies the effect of the similarity odds ratio of Spine (Phila Pa 1976) compared to Spine J.

METHODS

From the PubMed library, we downloaded 1000 of the most recent top 20 most similar articles related to Spine (Phila Pa 1976) and then plotted the clusters of related journals using social network analysis (SNA). The forest plot was used to compare the differences in MeSH terms for 2 journals (Spine (Phila Pa 1976) and Spine J) based on odds ratios. The heterogeneity of the data was evaluated using the Q statistic and the I-square (I2) index.

RESULTS

This study shows that: the journals related to Spine (Phila Pa 1976) can easily be presented on a dashboard via Google Maps; 8 journal clusters were identified using SNA; the 3 most frequently searched MeSH terms are surgery, diagnostic imaging, and methods; and the odds ratios of MeSH terms only show significant differences with the keyword "surgery" between Spine (Phila Pa 1976) and Spine J with homogeneity at I2 = 17.7% (P = .27).

CONCLUSIONS

The SNA and forest plot provide a detailed overview of the inter-journal relationships and the target journal using MeSH terms. Based on the findings of this research, readers are provided with knowledge and concept diagrams that can be used in future submissions to related journals.

Citation analysis of the 100 top-cited articles on discectomy via endoscopy since 2011 using alluvial diagrams: bibliometric analysis

Background

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is synonymous with percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD) and percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID). PEID has gained increasing recognition for its small incision, quick recovery, short hospital stay, and equivalent clinical outcome to open surgery. Numerous articles related to PEID have been published in the literature. However, which countries, journals, subject categories, and articles have ultimate influence remains unknown. The study aimed to (1) display influential entities in 100 top-cited PEID-related articles (T100PEID) on the alluvial diagram and (2) investigate whether medical subject headings (i.e., MeSH terms) can be used to predict article citations.

Methods

T100PEID data can be found since 2011 in the PubMed and Web of Science (WOS) databases. Using alluvial diagrams, citation analysis was conducted to compare the dominant entities. We used social network analysis (SNA) to classify MeSH terms and research areas extracted from PubMed and WOS. The difference in article citations across subject categories and the predictive power of MeSH terms on article citations in T100 PEID were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis.

Results

A total of 81% of T100PEID is occupied by the top three countries (the US, China, and South Korea). There was an overall T100PEID impact factor of 41.3 (IF = citations/100). Articles were published in Spine (Phila Pa 1976) (23%; IF = 41.3). Six subject categories were classified using the SNA. The most cited article authored by D Scott Kreiner from Ahwatukee Sports and Spine in the US state of Phoenix had 123 citations in PubMed. The network characteristics of T100PEID are displayed on the alluvial diagram. No difference was found in article citations among subject categories (F = 0.813, p = 0.543). The most frequently occurring MeSH term was surgery. MeSH terms were evident in the prediction power of the number of article citations (F = 15.21; p < 0 .001).

Conclusion

We achieved a breakthrough by displaying the T100PEID network characteristics on the alluvial plateau. The MeSH terms can be used to classify article subject categories and predict T100PEID citations. The alluvial diagram can be applied to bibliometrics on 100 top-cited articles in future studies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40001-022-00782-0.

An Alluvial diagram was drawn to display the network characteristics of T100PEID, which is novel and modern in the literature.

The method of drawing the Alluvial demonstrated in detail with documents in supplemental digital contents can be applied to make bibliometric studies brief, concise, and powerful.

The impact beam plot (IBP) is an additional visualization introduced in this study. The online IBP was demonstrated and worthy of future similar studies to highlight the most influential articles with a glance at a picture.

Classification and citation analysis of the 100 top-cited articles on adult spinal deformity since 2011: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

Studies of the 100 most-cited articles are reported for many subjects. However, none has analyzed the article characteristics associated with high citation frequency. This study aims to (1) graphically depict characteristics of the 100 top-cited articles addressing adult spinal deformity (ASD), (2) diagram the association between articles according to subject and major topic medical subject headings (MeSHs), and (3) investigate whether major topic MeSH correlates with article citation frequency.

METHODS

The 100 top-cited ASD publications since 2011 were retrieved using a PubMed Central search on May 6, 2020. Using titles and abstracts, eight subject categories were identified: surgery, conservative treatment, normal values in spinopelvic alignment, review, cervical alignment, classification, compensatory mechanism, and spine-hip relationship. Sankey diagrams were used to organize the information. Network analysis was performed according to article subject and major topic MeSHs. Pearson's r was used to determine whether the weighted number of citations correlates with major topic MeSHs and the number of citations.

RESULTS

The average number of citations per article was 34.8 (range, 19-156). The most represented country was USA (n = 51). The most productive and highly cited journal was Spine (Phila Pa 1976) (n = 34; average, 38.2 citations per article). The most frequent subject categories and major topic MeSHs were "surgery" (n = 53) and "scoliosis" (weighted count, 9.8), while articles with the subject "compensatory" had the highest average number of citations (64.7). The most highly cited article, by Dr. F. Schwab in 2012, had 156 citations. Network analysis revealed the relationships between these articles according to major topic MeSHs. The weighted number of citations according to major topic MeSHs correlated significantly with article citation frequency (Pearson's r, 0.57; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Multiple characteristics of the 100 top-cited ASD articles are presented in diagrams to guide evidence-based clinical decision-making in ASD.

Systematic review of intervertebral disc repair: a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited articles

Study design

A bibliometric review of the literature.

Objective

To identify the most frequently cited articles relating to the repair of intervertebral disc (IVD) and to summarize the key points and findings of these highly cited works, to quantify their impact on the developments of the disc disease treatment.

Summary of background data

IVD repair is an ever-growing and multi-disciplinary innovating treatment method for disc diseases. There are numerous literatures and related studies about it, promoting the development of the field. A comprehensive review and analysis of the most influential articles can help clarify the most effective strategy of IVD repair, and discover the promising directions for future research.

Methods

The Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge was searched for citations of all literatures relevant to IVD repair. The number of citations, key points, categories, authorships, years, journals, countries, and institutions of publications were analyzed.

Results

The most highly cited articles in IVD Repair were published over 30 years, between 1991 and 2017. Most works (No. 41) were published between 2005 and 2009. The most-cited article was Sakai’s 2003 article which described the possibility of combining MSC and gel to repair IVD. The three most popular categories involved were Orthopedics [44], Clinical Neurology [34], Engineering, and Biomedical [24]. The three most common topics were regenerative medicine and the progenitor cells [33], biomaterials and cellular scaffolds [29], application of growth factors [25]. Author Masuda and the partners have 4 articles in the top 100 list. The Rush University has 12 articles in the top 100 list.

Conclusion

This report identifies the top 100 articles in IVD repair and acknowledges those individuals who have contributed the most to the study of the IVD repair and the body of knowledge used to the repair strategy making. It allows insight into the trends of this innovative and interdisciplinary subspecialty of spine surgery.

A new modular radiographic classification of adult idiopathic scoliosis as an extension of the Lenke classification of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

PURPOSE

To propose and test the reliability of a radiographic classification system for adult idiopathic scoliosis.

METHODS

A three-component radiographic classification for adult idiopathic scoliosis consisting of curve type, a lumbosacral modifier, and a global alignment modifier is presented. Twelve spine surgeons graded 30 pre-marked cases twice, approximately 1 week apart. Case order was randomized between sessions.

RESULTS

The interrater reliability (Fleiss' kappa coefficient) for curve type was 0.660 and 0.798, for the lumbosacral modifier 0.944 and 0.965, and for the global alignment modifier 0.922 and 0.916, for round 1 and 2 respectively. Mean intrarater reliability was 0.807.

CONCLUSIONS

This new radiographic classification of adult idiopathic scoliosis maintains the curve types from the Lenke classification and introduces the lumbosacral and global alignment modifiers. The reliability of the lumbosacral modifier and global alignment modifier shows near perfect agreement, and sets the foundation for further studies to validate the reliability, utility, and applicability of this classification system.

Publication rate of abstracts presented at the annual meetings of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the annual meetings of the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves (Spine Summit).

METHODS

The authors used a search algorithm in PubMed to determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the Spine Summit from 2007 to 2012. The variables assessed were presentation modality, topic, meeting year, publication year, destiny journal and its 5-year impact factor (IF), country, and citation count (retrieved from the Scopus database).

RESULTS

One thousand four hundred thirty-six abstracts were analyzed; 502 were oral presentations and 934 were digital poster presentations. The publication rate was 53.97% (775/1436). The mean time from presentation to publication was 1.35 ± 1.97 years (95% CI 1.21-1.49 years). The mean citation count of published articles was 40.55 ± 55.21 (95% CI 36.66-44.44). Oral presentations had a higher publication rate (71.51%, 359/502) than digital posters (44.54%, 416/934; OR 3.13, 95% CI 2.48-3.95, p < 0.001). Oral presentations had a higher number of citations (55.51 ± 69.00, 95% CI 48.35-62.67) than digital posters (27.64 ± 34.88, 95% CI 24.28-31.00, p < 0.001). The mean IF of published articles was 3.48 ± 2.91 (95% CI 3.27-3.70). JNS: Spine (191/775, 24.64%), Spine (103/775, 13.29%), and Neurosurgery (56/775, 7.23%) had the greatest number of published articles. The US represented the highest number of published articles (616/775, 79.48%).

CONCLUSIONS

The publication rate of the Spine Summit is among the highest compared to other spine meetings. Many of the abstracts initially presented at the meeting are further published in high-IF journals and had a high citation count. Therefore, the Spine Summit maintains its high standards of scientific papers, which reflects the high quality of the research performed in the spine surgery field in North America.

The 100 Most Cited Papers About Brain Metastases

BACKGROUND

A vast amount of articles centered on brain metastases have been published.

OBJECTIVE

To present the 100 most-cited articles dedicated to brain metastasis and to accomplish a broad literature review.

METHODS

In December 2019, we performed a title-focused search using the Thomson Reuters Web of Science database to identify the most cited articles centered on brain metastatic disease. Our search query term was based on using the following algorithm: "brain metastases" OR "brain metastasis" OR "brain metastatic disease" OR "cerebral metastases" OR "cerebral metastasis" OR "cerebral metastatic disease." Afterward, we reviewed the results to certify that they were relevant to the purposes of our research protocol. The 100 most cited papers were chosen and further analyzed.

RESULTS

Our search resulted in 11,579 articles, published from 1975 until the completion of our survey. The most cited article, by Patchell et al., was published in 1990, with 1862 citations, and an average of 62.07 citations per year, whereas the last in our list, by Gaspar et al., was published in 2010, with 195 total citations, and an average of 19.50 citations per year. Countries with the highest-cited articles included the United States (75 records), followed by Canada (16 records).

CONCLUSIONS

We discovered the top 100 most-cited articles centered on brain metastasis, all of which show a potentially increased level of interest, because they are meaningful scientific reports. In addition, we reviewed the historical development and advances in brain metastasis research and relevant points of interest, alongside the relevant contributions of different authors, fields of special interest, and countries. Many of the most cited articles were written by authors whose specialty was not neurosurgery or by neurosurgeons who were supported by colleagues from other medical fields. As a consequence, many of these articles were not published in neurosurgery-dedicated journals.

Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of Scientific Publications on Atlantoaxial Spine Surgery Based on Web of Science and VOSviewer

BACKGROUND

Atlantoaxial spine surgery is a challenge to spinal surgeons because of its proximity to neurovascular structures. This study aimed to identify and analyze the scientific publications in atlantoaxial spine surgery from different countries and institutions.

METHODS

Clarivate Analytics Web of Science was used to search all articles for information on atlantoaxial spine surgery. The annual research, countries, journals, authors, institutions, citation frequency, and journal metrics were extracted. These results from countries and hotspots (keywords in publications) were subjected to co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer, after which the top 100 most-cited articles were analyzed further.

RESULTS

A total of 3161 articles were included. A trend toward an increasing number of publications on atlantoaxial spine surgery in recent years was evident. Among all countries, the United States contributed the most publications. Seth Gordhandas Sundarda Medical College had the highest number of publications among institutions. Among all research categories, fixation and fusion were the most common areas discussed. The screw-rod system described in the most-cited article (cited 823 times) appeared to be the most popular fixation method. With the development of C1 and C2 screw technology, the screw-rod system is becoming increasingly popular.

CONCLUSIONS

The atlantoaxial spine surgery literature has grown continuously in recent years. The United States is the largest contributor in this field. Fixation and fusion are the most common areas, and fixation-related studies should be closely followed. The screw-rod fixation system is becoming increasingly popular.

A bibliometric analysis of the 103 top-cited articles in endodontics

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the 100 top-cited articles in endodontics and analyse their bibliometric characteristics. Material and methods: The Web of Science database was reviewed to identify the relevant articles. Results: One hundred and three articles were included because the last four articles had the same number of citations. The top-cited article received 2115 citations. The articles were published in 28 different journals, with the most popular publication being the Journal of Endodontics (n = 36). The most prolific country was the United States (n = 41), followed by Sweden (n = 17) and Switzerland (n = 8). The most prolific author and institution were M. Torabinejad (n = 12) and Umeå University (n = 9), respectively. The majority of articles were of a basic science nature (n = 55), while endodontic microbiology (n = 24) was the most frequent subspecialty. The most common study design used in clinical articles was non-randomized experimental study (n = 5). Half of the clinical articles (n = 11) had a level III evidence score. Conclusions: The present citation analysis provides insights into the historical progress and current trends in endodontics.

Relevant advances in bone lengthening research: a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited articles published from 2001 to 2017

This study aimed to assess the scientific production of bone lengthening research by identifying the most-cited papers. All articles including the term 'bone lengthening' published between 2001 and 2017 were retrieved through the Web of Science database. The 100 most-cited articles on bone lengthening included a total of 4244 citations, with 414 (9.7%) citations in 2017. There was an average of 249.6 citations per year. The articles predominantly addressed biomechanics and bone formation (38). Different surgical techniques, including intramedullary nail (14), Ilizarov (nine), intramedullary skeletal kinetic distractor (ISKD) (six), Taylor spatial frame (6), the PRECICE device (three), and lengthening and submuscular locking plate (three), were the second most-studied topic. Most studies were therapeutic (58), whereas 30 studies were experimental investigations using animal models. Among the clinical studies, case series were predominant (level of evidence IV) (57). This study presents the first bibliometric analysis of the most relevant articles on bone lengthening. The list is relatively comprehensive in terms of identifying the top issues in this field. However, the most influential clinical studies have a poor level of evidence, although a slight tendency toward a better level of evidence has been observed in more recent years.

Assessing publication rate of abstracts presented in spine conferences as a quality benchmark: the example of the Canadian Spine Society Annual Meetings

INTRODUCTION

Publication rate can indirectly assess the quality of research presented in scientific meetings. Considering presentations at orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery meetings, 10.5-66% of abstracts are published in scientific journals. Publication rate of abstracts presented at CSS Meetings is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the publication rate of abstracts presented at the Canadian Spine Society(CSS) Annual Meetings from 2005to2014.

METHODS

In October2018, a systematic PubMed search was performed using title and authors of all abstracts presented at CSS Meetings from 2005 to 2014. The following information was retrieved from the articles and abstracts: year, type of presentation, publication in PubMed, time from presentation to final publication, journal and its impact factor(IF).

RESULTS

A total of 621 abstracts were presented at CSS meetings from 2005 to 2014. Publication rate in PubMed was 54.8%(N=340/621). Oral presentations were more likely to be published than poster presentations(63.8%vs44.0%; OR=1.45; CI95%=1.20-1.75; P<0.0001). The mean time from presentation to publication was 1.76 years(±1.93). The 340 identified articles were published in 87 different journals. Most common journals were Spine(N=75; 22.1%), The Spine Journal(N=40;11.8%), and Journal of Neurosurgery:Spine(N=28;8.2%). IF ranged from 0.18 to 47.66(mean=3.73±4.68). IF of articles presented orally were higher than those presented as poster(P=0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

The CSS scientific meeting maintain along the years a steady high quality research presentations as manifested by its significant publication rate(54.8%) in medical journals with mean IF of 3.73. In comparison with other spine scientific meetings, publication rates of abstracts presented at CSS meeting is amongst the highest.

Citation analysis of the most influential articles on traumatic spinal cord injury

Objective: We conducted a citation analysis in order to catalog and pay tribute to the 100 most influential clinical research articles in traumatic spinal cord injury.Design: The Thomson Reuters Web of Science was searched in a two-step process without time period limitations. Review articles were excluded. In the first stage of data extraction, a Boolean query was used to identify the top 100 most cited clinical papers on traumatic spinal cord injury. One hundred and seven keywords were manually chosen and extracted from titles and abstracts. A second Boolean query used these keywords to broaden search results. The top 100 articles from this second stage search comprised the final list.Outcome Measures: For each article, measures evaluated were number of citations, average number of citations per year, time elapsed before first citation, and time elapsed until the year in which each article received its respective highest number of citations in a one-year period.Results: 119,991 articles were found in the second stage search. The top 100 most cited articles meeting inclusion criteria were identified within the first 2,104 results. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was the most represented journal, with 20 of the top 100 articles. The top 100 list averaged 255 citations per article. The most highly cited article was the NASCIS 2 trial by Bracken et al., cited 1500 times, which investigated the efficacy of methylprednisolone or naloxone for spinal cord injury.Conclusion: Clinical research in traumatic spinal cord injury has grown over time, expanding to encompass rehabilitation and experimental therapies in addition to acute management trials. The list may serve as an archive and reference for further studies in this field.

The Top-100 Most-Cited Articles on Meningioma

BACKGROUND

There is an abundance of articles published on meningioma.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the 100 most-cited articles on meningioma and to perform a bibliometric analysis.

METHODS

In November 2016, we performed a title-specific search of the Scopus database using "meningioma" as our search query term without publication date restrictions. The top 100 most cited articles were obtained and reviewed.

RESULTS

The top 100 most cited articles received a mean 198 citations per paper. Publication dates ranged from 1953 to 2013; most articles were published between 1994 and 2003, with 50 articles published during that period. NEUROSURGERY published the greatest number of top cited articles (22 of 100). The most frequent study categories were laboratorial studies (31 of 100) and natural history studies (28 of 100). Nonoperative management studies were twice as common as operative management studies in the top-cited articles. Neurosurgery as a specialty contributed to 50% of the top 100 list. The most contributing institute was the Mayo Clinic (11%); the majority of the top cited articles originated in the United States (53%).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified the top 100 most-cited articles on meningioma that may be considered significant and impactful works, as well as the most noteworthy. In addition, we recognized the historical development and advances in meningioma research and the important contributions of various authors, specialty fields, and countries. A large proportion of the most cited articles were written by authors other than neurosurgeons, and many of these articles were published in non-neurosurgery journals.

The Top 100 Cited Papers in Health Care Disparities: a Bibliometric Analysis

Health care disparities research is an exponentially growing and multi-faceted field. Our objective was to identify and analyze the top 100 cited articles in health care disparities. The authors searched the Thomas Reuters Web of Science for citations of all research papers (articles) relevant to health care disparities. After analyzing search results, the number of citations, authorship, year, journal, country of publication, institution of publication, and relevant topic were recorded for each article. The most cited article was Martin's 2002 work identifying the demography of incidence and occurrence of sepsis with specific analysis of race, sex, and disposition of US patients. The second most cited article was Kamangar's 2006 paper outlining geographic patterns in cancer incidence, mortality, and prevalence. The third most cited article was Williams' 1996 study determining the differences in US health patterns in populations of different races and socioeconomic statuses through a review of similar studies. The majority of articles originated in the USA (91). The journal with the most published articles was JAMA-The Journal of the American Medical Association (14). The second most cited journal was The New England Journal of Medicine (7). Most articles were published in the 2000s (84). In descending order, the 3 most common topics were (1) disparities in cancer incidence, screening, treatment, and mortality, (2) disparities in mental health treatment, and (3) physician concordance, cultural competency, and relationships with minority patients. Overall, the highly cited articles contain current advancements in the body of knowledge used to resolve health care disparities in race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, age, wealth, education level, mental health, and geography throughout the world.