Most Influential Literature in Spinal Tuberculosis: A Global Disease Without Global Evidence

STUDY DESIGN: Bibliometric review of the literature. OBJECTIVE: This bibliometric analysis aims to give an overview of the most influential academic literature written on spinal tuberculosis. METHODS: All databases included in the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge were searched for the most influential publications in spinal tuberculosis. The most cited articles published between 1950 and 2015, with the main focus on orthopedic surgery, were identified using a multistep approach, and a total of 100 articles were included. The publications were then analyzed in this bibliometric analysis. RESULTS: The number of citations ranged from 243 to 36, with an average of 77.11. The articles were published in 34 different journals, and the studies were conducted in 20 different countries. The top 3 countries, India, the United States, and China, published a total of 51% (n = 51) of all articles. Low-burden countries produced 60% (n = 60) of all articles in our list. African centers produced only 4% (n = 4) of all included articles. CONCLUSIONS: Indian and Chinese researchers dominate evidence in spinal tuberculosis. Other areas with high disease burden, such as Africa, do not feature. Most publications are retrospective studies with a low level of evidence.