Bibliometric analysis of research areas, publication hierarchy and gender authorship in German university cardiology

This bibliometric study focuses on the publication activity of senior staff, consisting of chief physicians, senior physicians, department heads, and division heads at German university hospitals specializing in cardiology. The aim is to identify topics, focal points, study types, and impact factors (IFs) achieved. No studies on this topic have been conducted to date. However, Millenaar et al. [1] provided an overview of the cardiovascular research landscape in Germany, highlighting publication activities by federal state, the gender distribution among first authors, and the most important areas of cardiological research. In a subsequent global scientometric analysis, Millenaar et al. [2] examined gender differences in authorship in cardiovascular research between 2010 and 2019. They found that the number of publications in cardiovascular research has increased over the last ten years, particularly among female authors. However, a detailed analysis of the associated IFs revealed that articles by female authors achieved a lower average IF compared to their male counterparts. Similarly, publications by female authors were cited less frequently. The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the publishing activities of senior staff in the cardiology departments of all 39 university hospitals. The hierarchy, academic rank, and gender of the authors were taken into account. The aim was to determine which specialist areas and topics are emphasized in cardiology publications and which impact factors were assigned to the respective areas. Furthermore, the composition of the hierarchical levels according to gender and academic rank of the management staff and the respective publication performance (number; impact factor) were determined. For comparison purposes, the methodological approach was adapted to previous bibliometric analyses in other medical fields such as visceral surgery [3], trauma surgery [4], and oral and maxillofacial surgery [5]. The aim was to investigate whether the pronounced gender-specific differences in publication output and academic leadership roles observed in these fields can also be observed in cardiology. This work can serve as a basis and reference for the effectiveness and implementation of measures to promote women.