Scientific output quality of 40 globally top-ranked medical researchers in the field of osteoporosis

The study presents the research output of 40 globally top-ranked authors, publishing in the field of osteoporosis. Their h-index is compared with the Scientific Quality Index (SQI), a novel indicator. Using SQI, 92.5% of the authors changed their initial positions in the general ranking. SQI partially depends on bibliometric measures different from those influencing h-index and may be considered as an assessment tool, reflecting more objective, qualitative, rather than quantitative, features of individual scientific output.

The study approaches the research output of 40 globally top-ranked authors in the field of osteoporosis.

The assessed authors were identified in the Scopus database, using the key word “osteoporosis” and the h-index data, collected during the last decade (2008–2017). The data, concerning the scientific output, expressed by the h-index, were compared with a novel indicator of scientific quality—called the Scientific Quality Index (SQI). SQI is calculated according to the following formula: Parameter No. 1 + Parameter No. 2, where: Parameter No. 1 (the percent of papers cited ≥ 10 times) the number of papers cited ≥ 10 times (excluding self-citations and citations of all co-authors) is divided by the number of all the published papers (including the papers with no citation) × 100%, Parameter No. 2 (the mean number of citations per paper) the total number of citations (excluding self-citations and citations of all co-authors) divided by the number of all published papers (including papers with no citation).

The following research output values were obtained: the citation index, 2483.6 ± 1348.7; the total number of papers, 75.1 ± 23.2; the total number of cited papers, 69.3 ± 22.0; the number of papers cited, at least, 10 times, 45.4 ± 17.2; the percent of papers cited, at least, 10 times, 59.9 ± 10.0; and the mean citations per paper, 32.8 ± 15.0. The mean value of Hirsch index was 24.2 ± 6.2 and SQI 92.7 ± 22.3. Using SQI, only three authors did not change their initial ranking position, established according to the h-index; 18 authors noted a decrease, while other 19 improved their initial ranking position. The h-index correlated with SQI; r = 0.72; p < 0.0001.

Qualitative features of scientific output, reflected by SQI, have changed the classification of 92.5% of authors. SQI may be considered as an assessment tool which is more strongly determined by qualitative than quantitative features of individual scientific output.