Correlation between Level of Evidence and Citations in Top 100 Cited Hallux Valgus Articles

Category: Bunion; Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: An article's scientific impact has often been measured by the number of citations it receives. A citation analysis can help determine impactful works in medical specialties. The objective of this study is to describe the metrics and levels of evidence of articles on Hallux valgus. Methods: This study reviewed the top 100 most cited articles available when searching for articles in an electronic database using the keywords “hallux valgus”, and “bunion”. Each article was examined for the number of citations, publication type, journal specialty, authorship, country of origin, year of publication, level of evidence, and total sample size. Results: The number of citations ranged from 68 to 424. The 100 most cited articles were published in 24 journals, spanning from general to more specific subspecialty journals. 45% of articles were published by Foot and Ankle International. The most common level of evidence was V (34 out of 100 articles), and most articles were case series (n = 28) and expert opinion (n = 19). The median sample size in experimental studies was 44. Out of 100 articles, only 3 were randomized controlled trials. Conclusion: The median year of most cited publications, 2003, suggests a need for newer studies reviewing Hallux valgus. The paucity of articles with an evidence level of 1 or 2 and a small median sample size suggests a lack of scientifically rigorous studies reviewing Hallux valgus. There is a weak positive correlation between strength of evidence and number of citations in the top 100 articles cited on Hallux valgus (r= 0.149)