Essential Reads in Rhinology: A Bibliometric Analysis

Rhinology is a progressive subspecialty within otolaryngology. Bibliometric analysis is a powerful method to survey the landscape of literature on a specific topic and identify publication trends. We aimed to analyze the 50 most impactful English-language rhinology manuscripts of all time to create a targeted reading list for otolaryngologists.

The Journal Citation Report within the Web of Science database was utilized to identify articles relating to rhinology. Web of Science Research categories were restricted to otolaryngology. The articles were then ranked by number of citations. The top 50 articles of all time ranked by number of citations were analyzed. The articles were analyzed for publication year, journal impact factor, citation density, first author (FA), and senior author (SA) name, country, and institution. Statistical analyses were performed.

Most articles were published in the 2000s (N = 22, 44%) and 1990s (N = 11, 22%). Male FA (N = 37, 74%) and SA (N = 43, 86%) published most articles. Most articles were clinical studies (N = 36, 72%) followed by clinical guidelines/expert opinions. Most articles were published in the United States (N = 28, 56%) and England (N = 9, 18%). There were more female FAs of guidelines/position papers than basic lab, reviews, and clinical studies. England had more female FAs than other countries, and the United States had more female SA. There was an average of 585.2 citations per study.

This investigation highlights the most influential literature within rhinology. The most impactful studies are consensus statements, large multicenter studies, and technique studies. Significant gender disparities in authorship exist.