Bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles related to pathological fractures.

Background: The aim of this study was to perform a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited articles on pathological fractures to identify the structure of the literature, research trends, and factors influencing citation behavior. Methods: A search was conducted in the Web of Science database using the keywords "pathologic fracture," "pathological fracture," "osteoporotic fracture," and "fragility fracture" for articles published in English up to the end of June 2025. The 100 most-cited articles were ranked by total citation count and analyzed bibliometrically. Relationships between variables such as publication year, number of authors and institutions, journal type, open access status, funding, number of pages and references, and level of evidence with citation count and citation density were statistically assessed. Results: The majority of contributions came from the USA and European countries, and the highest citation density was observed in articles published between 2010 and 2020. Articles that received funding, were multicenter, and had greater length demonstrated significantly higher citation density (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between open access status and citation count or density. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between journal impact factor and citation count. Conclusion: This study provides important insights into the current state of scientific output and citation behavior in the field of pathological fractures, serving as a guide for future research. Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, effectively utilizing funding resources, and prioritizing methodologically robust study designs are essential for enhancing scientific impact in this area.