Citation classics: top 50 cited articles in bariatric and metabolic surgery

Background: The number of times an article has been cited reflects its influence in a specific field. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the most highly cited articles published on bariatric and metabolic surgery.

Methods: The 50 most frequently cited articles in bariatric and metabolic surgery were identified from the Scopus database in December 2013.

Results: The median number of citations was 383.5 (range 275-2482). Most of the articles were published from 2000-2012 (n = 35), followed by 1990-1999 (n = 12), then before 1990 (n = 3). These citation classics came from 8 countries, with the majority originating from the United States (n = 34), followed by Sweden (n = 4) and Australia (n = 4). The 50 articles were published in 20 journals, led by New England Journal of Medicine (n = 9) and Annals of Surgery (n = 9). Only 10 of the articles were published in obesity-specific journals. The level of evidence of the 49 clinical publications and 1 animal study consisted of level I (n = 5), II (n = 11), III (n = 9), IV (n = 19), and V (n = 6). Meta-analyses were 16% of the total citations. Metabolic (n = 12) and survival (n = 6) effects of surgery were among the most common fields of study.

Conclusion: Extending from the early 1950s through the voluminous growth period of the early 2000s, the field of bariatric and metabolic surgery led to the emergence of many top-cited scientific articles. These articles have provided the scientific basis for the only currently effective treatment for severe obesity. Articles published in high-impact journals, innovative observational studies, meta-analyses, survival analyses, and research on postoperative metabolic changes are most likely to be cited in the field of bariatric surgery.