The 100 Most Cited Androgenetic Alopecia Articles: An Analysis of Altmetrics Data from 2015 to 2022

Abstract

Introduction: Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss, and with increasing media integration in medicine, understanding social media consumption of literature is invaluable. Altmetric Attention Score analysis can quantify factors impacting article distribution on media platforms. Methods: To determine factors influencing literature dissemination and reader demographics, a bibliometric analysis was performed on the 100 most cited androgenetic alopecia articles. Results: Articles with top 25th percentile Altmetric Attention Scores were cited more frequently (41.76 vs. 24.59, p < 0.05). Open-access articles had lower odds of being read by healthcare professionals (aOR = 0.16, p < 0.05), while funded studies and journal impact factor increased odds of readership (aOR = 5.80; aOR = 1.55; p < 0.05 for both). Scientists and healthcare professionals showed interest in publications addressing 5α-reductase inhibitors (aOR = 26.08; aOR = 6.13; p < 0.05 for both). Articles with high social media viewership were also highly cited in academic literature. Conclusion: Healthcare professionals appeared more discerning about article readership compared to the public. With many outlets for consumption of media, members of the public not involved in dermatology may have difficulty in identifying reliable sources of material. Overall, Altmetrics can help quantify readership trends and public interest in dermatology research.