Defining Common Features in High Impact and Highly Cited Journal Articles on Pancreatic Tumors: An Analysis of 1044 Studies Over the Past Decade

Surgical researchers seek to publish their findings in esteemed surgical journals to advance science and their careers. A detailed investigation of study and manuscript attributes in a specific research area, like pancreatic neoplasia, may yield informative insights for researchers looking to maximize research impact.We analyzed publications related to pancreatic surgery primarily focused on pancreatic and periampullary tumors to identify elements associated with acceptance into high impact journals and a high likelihood of future citations.A comprehensive review of nine surgical journals was performed between 2010 and 2019. Journals were grouped based on impact factor into high (3), medium (1-3), and low (1) impact categories. Each publication was annotated to identify study topic, methodology, and statistical approach. Findings were compared according to journal impact and number of citations to identify predictors of success across these 2 domains.A total of 1044 out of 21,536 (4.8%) articles published in the index journals were related to pancreatic tumors. The most common focus of study was perioperative outcomes and complications (46.7%). There was significantly more number of authors, participating institutions, countries, and randomized clinical trials in higher impact journals as well as high-cited articles (P0.05). Although advanced statistical analysis was used more commonly in high-impact journals (P0.05), it did not translate to higher citations (P0.05).Pancreatic neoplasia continues to be extensively studied in surgical literature. Specific elements of study methodology and design were identified as potentially key attributes to acceptance in high impact journals and citation success.