Orthopedic research productivity of KSA: First bibliometric analysis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Bibliometrics
• Medical Research

Background:

• Medical research output reflects a nation's development and reputation.
• Concerns exist regarding the limited orthopedic research contributions from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of orthopedic research output from KSA.
• To investigate trends and characteristics of orthopedic research originating from KSA.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed for orthopedic articles.
• Articles published from 2000 onwards with at least one KSA-affiliated author were included, excluding non-research publications.
• Data on publication year, authors' affiliations, institutions, countries, and citations were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A total of 1047 articles were identified, showing an increasing trend in research output from 2005 to 2023.
• Most research (83.48%) was conducted in KSA, with King Saud University as the top institution.
• Clinical studies constituted 83.3% of the output, with 84.51% having Level IV evidence; 31.23% were published in top-quartile journals.

Conclusions:

• Orthopedic research productivity in KSA is currently limited but shows recent growth.
• There is a need to improve the quality of clinical research, particularly the level of evidence.
• Strengthening research opportunities and encouraging participation are crucial for advancing orthopedic research in KSA.