Not Just Cited, Also Noticed Type of Manuscript:  Comparative Cross-sectional Bibliometric Analysis

Altmetric is a system that quantifies the attention academic publications receive through digital interactions by using the Altmetric Attention Score (AAS). This study investigated the relationship between the AAS of anesthesiology articles and their journal impact factor and citation rates, as well as factors influencing the AAS. Articles published between January 1 and December 31, 2021 in the ‘Anesthesiology’ category indexed in Science Citation Index (SCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) were systematically identified via Web of Science and journal websites. The bibliometric data of the articles (citation count, impact factor); study characteristics such as multicenter design, geographic origin, Altmetric components and AAS obtained from digital platforms (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) were analyzed. A total of 2608 original research articles were included. Significant positive correlations were found between AAS and both citation counts and journal impact factor (p < 0.01 for both). According to multivariable regression analysis using log-transformed AAS as the outcome variable, journal impact factor (95%CI:0.049–0.060; p < 0.001), multicenter study design (95%CI:0.081–0.196; p < 0.001), and number of authors (95%CI:0.004–0.011; p < 0.001) were independently and positively associated with AAS. Studies originating from Australia (95%CI:0.125–0.369; p < 0.001) and the Americas (95%CI:0.091–0.303; p < 0.001) demonstrated higher AAS. Among Altmetric sources, policy document mentions showed the strongest association with AAS (95%CI:0.278–0.496; p < 0.001). Twitter mentions were significantly associated with AAS, with a small magnitude (95%CI:0.001–0.002; p < 0.001). Understanding the interplay between traditional and digital metrics in anesthesiology research might shed light on the multifaceted nature of academic dissemination.