Abstract
BACKGROUND: This bibliometric analysis examines the top 50 most-cited articles on COVID-19 complications, offering insights into the multifaceted impact of the virus. Since its emergence in Wuhan in December 2019, COVID-19 has evolved into a global health crisis, with over 770 million confirmed cases and 6.9 million deaths as of September 2023. Initially recognized as a respiratory illness causing pneumonia and ARDS, its diverse complications extend to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, hematological, neurological, endocrinological, ophthalmological, hepatobiliary, and dermatological systems. METHODS: Identifying the top 50 articles from a pool of 5940 in Scopus, the analysis spans November 2019 to July 2021, employing terms related to COVID-19 and complications. Rigorous review criteria excluded non-relevant studies, basic science research, and animal models. The authors independently reviewed articles, considering factors like title, citations, publication year, journal, impact factor, authors, study details, and patient demographics. RESULTS: The focus is primarily on 2020 publications (96%), with all articles being open access. Leading journals include The Lancet, NEJM, and JAMA, with prominent contributions from Internal Medicine (46.9%) and Pulmonary Medicine (14.5%). China played a major role (34.9%), followed by France and Belgium. Clinical features were the primary study topic (68%), often utilizing retrospective designs (24%). Among 22,477 patients analyzed, 54.8% were male, with the most common age group being 26-65 years (63.2%). Complications of COVID-19 affected 13.9% of patients, with a recovery rate of 57.8%. CONCLUSION: Analyzing these top-cited articles offers clinicians and researchers a comprehensive, timely understanding of influential COVID-19 literature. This approach uncovers attributes contributing to high citations and provides authors with valuable insights for crafting impactful research. As a strategic tool, this analysis facilitates staying updated and making meaningful contributions to the dynamic field of COVID-19 research.