An Altmetric and Bibliometric Comparative Analysis from 2014 to 2023 of the 100 Most-Mentioned and 100 Most-Cited Articles About Diabetic Retinopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To systematically summarize the 100 most-mentioned and most-cited articles from the past decade to analyze research trends in diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the implications on patient education. Methods: The Altmetric Explorer and Web of Science databases were searched for articles on DR published from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2023. The 100 most-mentioned and most-cited articles were screened from each database, and the publication year, journal, first author’s sex, country of origin, total citations, Altmetric Attention score, research topic, and research type were recorded. Article metrics between the 100 most-mentioned and most-cited articles were compared. Results: The 100 most-mentioned articles had a median Altmetric Attention score of 161 and a median citation count of 49. The 100 most-cited articles had a median Altmetric Attention score of 35.5 and a median citation count of 312. JAMA Ophthalmology and Ophthalmology published the highest proportion of most-mentioned and most-cited articles. A strong positive correlation was found between the Altmetric Attention score and citation count for both the most-mentioned (r = 0.420, P < .001) and most-cited articles (r = 0.599, P < .001). The most common research subtopics of the most-mentioned and most-cited articles were epidemiology (42%) and screening (40%). Thirty articles were featured on both lists. Conclusions: The altmetric and bibliometric patterns seen in this study provide insight into the current and future trends in DR research and can be used to inform education outreach initiatives and improve patient outcomes.