Since the launch of BMC Medicine a decade ago, the journal has published over 900 open access articles, many of which have made significant contributions to the advance of medical research. We take this opportunity to look back at how frequently our articles have been cited since publication, and list the top 10 below. Data has been derived from the ISI Web of Science citation index.

Our ten most highly cited articles were published between 2004 and 2010, and the impact of the research is highlighted by the fact these have all continued to be cited by articles published in various journals this year.

The number of citations (at time of writing) received by each article has been listed below:

1. Research article

miR-124 and miR-137 inhibit proliferation of glioblastoma multiforme cells and induce differentiation of brain tumor stem cells

Joachim Silber, Daniel A Lim, Claudia Petritsch, Anders I Persson, Alika K Maunakea, Mamie Yu, Scott R Vandenberg, David G Ginzinger, C David James, Joseph F Costello, Gabriele Bergers, William A Weiss, Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, J Graeme Hodgson
BMC Medicine 2008, 6:14 (24 June 2008)

Summary: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a very aggressive form of brain tumor associated with high mortality. Current treatments include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but new therapies are being investigated. In this study published in 2008, Silber et al. showed that the microRNAs miR-124 and miR-137, which are down-regulated in human glioblastomas and astrocytomas but up-regulated during neuronal stem cell differentiation, can induce cell cycle arrest in glioblastoma multiforme cells, suggesting possible therapeutic potential. MicroRNA based therapeutics for GBM are still under investigation.

269 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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2. Research article

A systematic review of the incidence of schizophrenia: the distribution of rates and the influence of sex, urbanicity, migrant status and methodology

John McGrath, Sukanta Saha, Joy Welham, Ossama El Saadi, Clare MacCauley, David Chant
BMC Medicine 2004, 2:13 (28 April 2004)

Summary: Schizophrenia is a long-term mental illness that is typically treated with antipsychotic medication, but the etiology of this disorder is still not completely understood. This systematic review published in 2004 by McGrath et al., shows that reported rates of schizophrenia are more widely distributed in men than in women, and that wide variability exists between urban and migrant populations.
241 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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3. Research article

Collagen reorganization at the tumor-stromal interface facilitates local invasion

Paolo P Provenzano, Kevin W Eliceiri, Jay M Campbell, David R Inman, John G White, Patricia J Keely
BMC Medicine 2006, 4:38 (26 December 2006)

Summary: Using multiphoton laser-scanning microscopy, Provenzano et al. identified that the alignment of collagen fibers relative to tumors may facilitate invasion and tumor growth in breast cancer.
209 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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4. Correspondence

CONSORT 2010 Statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials

Kenneth F Schulz, Douglas G Altman, David Moher, the CONSORT Group
BMC Medicine 2010, 8:18 (24 March 2010)

Summary: In 2010, BMC Medicine co-published the updated CONSORT (CONsolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) statement by Schulz et al. This statement is used worldwide to improve the reporting of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The updates made to CONSORT 2010 guides authors  on reporting of two-parallel design RCTs by using a checklist and flow diagram based on the latest methodological evidence and accumulating experience.
152 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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5. Research article

Collagen density promotes mammary tumor initiation and progression

Paolo P Provenzano, David R Inman, Kevin W Eliceiri, Justin G Knittel, Long Yan, Curtis T Rueden, John G White, Patricia J Keely
BMC Medicine 2008, 6:11 (28 April 2008)

Summary: In this 2008 study, increased stromal collagen density in mouse mammary tissue increased both tumor formation and tumor cell invasive and migratory properties by three fold. Provenzano et al. also identified a metabolic signature for flavin adenine dinucleotide  in invading metastatic cells.
144 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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6. Research article

Hyper-IgG4 disease: report and characterisation of a new disease

Guy H Neild, Manuel Rodriguez-Justo, Catherine Wall, John O Connolly
BMC Medicine 2006, 4:23 (6 October 2006)

Summary: In 2006 Neild et al. proposed a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by exuberant fibrosis and an increase in IgG4-positive plasma cells, should be recognized as hyper-IgG4 disease. They also showed this can be successfully treated in the active stages by administration of glucocorticoid steroids.
117 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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7. Research article

Simvastatin is associated with a reduced incidence of dementia and Parkinson’s disease

Benjamin Wolozin, Stanley W Wang, Nien-Chen Li, Austin Lee, Todd A Lee, Lewis E Kazis
BMC Medicine 2007, 5:20 (19 July 2007)

Summary: Using data from the US Veterans Affairs database, Wolozin et al. reported that the cardioprotective and anti-cholesterol drug simvastatin, and to a lesser extent atorvastatin, are associated with a reduced incidence of dementia and Parkinson’s disease. This suggested that these drugs may also protect against dementia. Since publication of these results in 2007, there have been further studies reporting the potential protective role of statins against dementia.
108 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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8. Research article

Stress, burnout and doctors’ attitudes to work are determined by personality and learning style: A twelve year longitudinal study of UK medical graduates

IC McManus, A Keeling, E Paice
BMC Medicine 2004, 2:29 (18 August 2004)

Summary: In 2004, McManus et al. reported that doctors’ stress and career satisfaction are partly determined by their different learning styles and can be predicted by studying their personality and habits at medical school.
106 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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9. Research article

Loss of KCNJ10 protein expression abolishes endocochlear potential and causes deafness in Pendred syndrome mouse model

Philine Wangemann, Erin M Itza, Beatrice Albrecht, Tao Wu, Sairam V Jabba, Rajanikanth J Maganti, Jun Ho Lee, Lorraine A Everett, Susan M Wall, Ines E Royaux, Eric D Green, Daniel C Marcus
BMC Medicine 2004, 2:30 (20 August 2004)

Summary: In 2004, Wangemann et al. reported that the loss of KCNJ10 potassium channel protein expression and the consequent reduction in endocochlear potential are the cause of deafness in pendrin gene knockout mice. This suggested that the same is true in human Pendred syndrome. The role of the KCNJ10 gene in human Pendred Syndrome is still under investigation, and a recent study suggested this does not play a major role in the disease.
102 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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10. Research article

Developing optimal search strategies for detecting clinically sound prognostic studies in MEDLINE: an analytic survey

Nancy L Wilczynski, R Brian Haynes, the Hedges Team
BMC Medicine 2004, 2:23 (9 June 2004)

Summary: This survey by Wilczynski et al. showed that methodologically sound prognostic studies in MEDLINE can be found with high specificity and sensitivity by a search that combines appropriate indexing terms and text words.
96 citations on ISI Web of Science; more about this article

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