Top-cited dermatology authors publishing in 5 "high-impact" general medical journals

BACKGROUND: In addition to publishing in the dermatologic literature, some dermatologists also publish articles in the general medical journals, which enjoy wide circulation and whose articles are often cited. OBJECTIVE: To identify articles and citations to these articles that the most frequently cited authors in the dermatologic literature published in highly cited general medical journals. DESIGN: We obtained a citation database from the Institute of Scientific Information, Philadelphia, Pa, that identified all articles published by the top-cited authors in the dermatologic literature in 5 "high-impact" general medical journals. SETTING: The 5 high-impact general medical journals with the historically highest impact factors. SUBJECTS: Two hundred top-cited authors in dermatology journals and their coauthors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Number of citations to articles published in 5 high-impact general medical journals. RESULTS: From 1981 to 1998, 120 of the 200 top-cited dermatology authors published a total of 674 papers in the 5 most highly cited general medical journals. Original articles published in these high-impact general medical journals were cited an average 7.5 times more often than articles published in dermatology journals. CONCLUSIONS: Top-cited authors in dermatology journals also frequently publish in the leading 5 high-impact general medical journals. Publications in these journals by dermatologists are often highly cited.