Top 50 Most-Cited Studies about Osteochondritis Dissecans

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Musculoskeletal Research

Background:

• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is a joint condition affecting subchondral bone.
• Understanding the most influential research is key for advancing OCD diagnosis and treatment.
• Bibliometric analysis provides a quantitative overview of research impact and trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the 50 most frequently cited studies on osteochondritis dissecans (OCD).
• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of these seminal OCD research papers.
• To provide a foundational list of influential OCD literature for researchers and clinicians.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of the Clarivate Web of Science database was performed using relevant keywords.
• Articles published before December 2022 were screened and filtered based on predefined criteria.
• The 50 most-cited articles were selected for bibliometric analysis, extracting data on publication year, journal, topic, joint, country, and evidence level.

Main Results:

• The analysis included 3,865 articles, with the top 50 published between 1957 and 2018.
• The majority of highly cited studies (60%) were published between 2000 and 2009.
• Treatment was the most frequent topic (68%), followed by etiology (14%) and imaging (8%).
• The knee joint was most commonly studied (36%), followed by the ankle (32%).
• Most articles were Level IV evidence (36%), with the United States as the leading country of origin (19 publications).

Conclusions:

• The most impactful research on osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) predominantly focuses on treatment strategies.
• The knee joint is the primary focus of highly cited OCD studies.
• Seminal OCD research, characterized by Level IV evidence, was largely published between 2000 and 2009, with a significant contribution from the United States.