Moderate methodological quality in the 50 most cited studies on meniscus root tears: A bibliometric study and methodological quality analysis.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to analyze the 50 most cited studies on meniscus root tears, analyzing their bibliographic parameters and methodological quality. The hypothesis of this study was that citations would not correlate with study quality.

METHODS

A literature search on Web of Science was performed to determine the 50 most cited studies on the topic of 'meniscus root' in human orthopaedics between 1 January 1990 and 9 December 2024. Bibliographic parameters and Modified Coleman Methodological Score (MCMS; 0-100 points), Methodological Index for Non-Randomised Studies (MINORS 0-24 points), Biomechanics Objective Basic Science Quality Assessment Tool (BOBQAT; 0-100 points) and Radiologic Methodology and Quality Scale (MQCSRE; 0-30 points) were evaluated. The Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare groups. Linear regression analysis evaluated whether total citations correlate with study quality scores.

RESULTS

The 50 most cited studies on meniscus root tears averaged 165 ± 100 (range 92-721) citations per article, with a mean citation density of 15.3 ± 8.1 per year (range 6.4-45.1). The published 18 studies (36%), and 25 studies (50%) originated from institutions in the United States. Clinical ( = 17, 34%) and biomechanical ( = 13, 26%) studies were most common. Mean quality scores were: MCMS 64.9 ± 7.0, MINORS 14.9 ± 4.7, BOBQAT 80.6 ± 6.9, and RQMS 20.2 ± 1.5. Mean citation densities were higher in biomechanical studies (17.0 ± 10.1) and clinical studies (15.0 ± 5.8) than in radiological studies (9.6 ± 2.5;  = 0.022). Studies published in the United States had higher mean citation densities (18.7 ± 9.6) than those from Korea (12.1 ± 3.6;  < .001) or Germany (10.9 ± 3.9;  < 0.026). Citations or citation densities were not correlated with study quality ( = 0.282).

CONCLUSION

The methodological quality of the 50 most cited studies on meniscus root tears was moderate, and the number of citations did not correlate with their quality scores. This list can serve as a valuable reference for orthopaedic surgeons seeking to explore the literature on meniscus root tears.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V, cross-sectional study.