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Publication retraction in spine surgery: a systematic review

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Abstract

Purpose

The number of articles retracted by peer-reviewed journals has increased in recent years. This study systematically reviews retracted publications in the spine surgery literature.

Methods

A search of PubMed MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, Retraction Watch, and the independent websites of 15 spine surgery-related journals from inception to September of 2022 was performed without language restrictions. PRISMA guidelines were followed with title/abstract screening, and full-text screening was conducted independently and in duplicate by two reviewers. Study characteristics and bibliometric information for each publication was extracted.

Results

Of 250 studies collected from the search, 65 met the inclusion criteria. The most common reason for retraction was data error (n = 15, 21.13%), followed by plagiarism (n = 14, 19.72%) and submission to another journal (n = 14, 19.72%). Most studies pertained to degenerative pathologies of the spine (n = 32, 80.00%). Most articles had no indication of retraction in their manuscript (n = 24, 36.92%), while others had a watermark or notice at the beginning of the article. The median number of citations per retracted publication was 10.0 (IQR 3–29), and the median 4-year impact factor of the journals was 5.05 (IQR 3.20–6.50). On multivariable linear regression, the difference in years from publication to retraction (p = 0.0343, β = 6.56, 95% CI 0.50–12.62) and the journal 4-year impact factor (p = 0.0029, β = 7.47, 95% CI 2.66–12.28) were positively associated with the total number of citations per retracted publication. Most articles originated from China (n = 30, 46.15%) followed by the United States (n = 12, 18.46%) and Germany (n = 3, 4.62%). The most common study design was retrospective cohort studies (n = 14, 21.54%).

Conclusions

The retraction of publications has increased in recent years in spine surgery. Researchers consulting this body of literature should remain vigilant. Institutions and journals should collaborate to increase publication transparency and scientific integrity.

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Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study. The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Jordan J. Levett

  2. Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 1001 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada

    Lior M. Elkaim

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, National Neuroscience Institute, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Naif M. Alotaibi

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Michael H. Weber

  5. Combined Neurosurgical and Orthopedic Spine Program, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Nicolas Dea

  6. Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC, USA

    Muhammad M. Abd-El-Barr

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Correspondence to Lior M. Elkaim.

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Levett, J.J., Elkaim, L.M., Alotaibi, N.M. et al. Publication retraction in spine surgery: a systematic review. Eur Spine J 32, 3704–3712 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-023-07927-7

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