Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33609373›Full record

ArticleBJS open2021

Predictive value of Altmetric score on citation rates and bibliometric impact.

D B T Robinson, A G M T Powell, J Waterman, L Hopkins, O P James, R J Egan, W G Lewis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJS open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Optimizing social media initiatives to promote Neuropsychopharmacology (NPP) publications.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

D B T RobinsonHealth Education and Improvement Wales' School of Surgery, Ty Dysgu, Nantgarw, UK.
A G M T PowellDivision of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
J WatermanHealth Education and Improvement Wales' School of Surgery, Ty Dysgu, Nantgarw, UK.
L HopkinsHealth Education and Improvement Wales' School of Surgery, Ty Dysgu, Nantgarw, UK.
O P JamesHealth Education and Improvement Wales' School of Surgery, Ty Dysgu, Nantgarw, UK.
R J EganMorriston Hospital, Cwmrhydceirw, Swansea, UK.
W G LewisHealth Education and Improvement Wales' School of Surgery, Ty Dysgu, Nantgarw, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBibliometric and Altmetric analyses provide different perspectives regarding research impact. This study aimed to determine whether Altmetric score was associated with citation rate independent of established bibliometrics.

methodsCitations related to a previous cohort of 100 most cited articles in surgery were collected and a 3-year interval citation gain calculated. Citation count, citation rate index, Altmetric score, 5-year impact factor, and Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels were used to estimate citation rate prospect.

resultsThe median interval citation gain was 161 (i.q.r. 83-281); 74 and 62 articles had an increase in citation rate index (median increase 2.8 (i.q.r. -0.1 to 7.7)) and Altmetric score (median increase 3 (0-4)) respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that citation rate index (area under the curve (AUC) 0.86, 95 per cent c.i. 0.79 to 0.93; P < 0.001) and Altmetric score (AUC 0.65, 0.55 to 0.76; P = 0.008) were associated with higher interval citation gain. An Altmetric score critical threshold of 2 or more was associated with a better interval citation gain when dichotomized at the interval citation gain median (odds ratio (OR) 4.94, 95 per cent c.i. 1.99 to 12.26; P = 0.001) or upper quartile (OR 4.13, 1.60 to 10.66; P = 0.003). Multivariable analysis revealed only citation rate index to be independently associated with interval citation gain when dichotomized at the median (OR 18.22, 6.70 to 49.55; P < 0.001) or upper quartile (OR 19.30, 4.23 to 88.15; P < 0.001).

conclusionCitation rate index and Altmetric score appear to be important predictors of interval citation gain, and better at predicting future citations than the historical and established impact factor and Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine quality descriptors.

Indexed as

BibliometricsEvidence-Based MedicineGeneral SurgeryPeriodicals as TopicHumansJournal Impact FactorLogistic ModelsROC Curve

Identifiers

PMID33609373
PMCPMC7893457

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.