Citation analysis, a common bibliometric method, can help authors to recognize important advances, and add a useful perspective on historical developments in a specific field. Understanding the characteristics inherent to highly cited studies could help researchers who wish to publish effectively. (Allen; 2009) However, I also should notice that the citations number might be poorly related to merit, it is strongly affected by the journal in which the paper is published.
The number of citations would be influenced by factors such as the geographic origin of the authors, whether they are English speaking and the gender of the authors. Despite some disadvantages in the assessment of article quality based simply on citation rating, it remains the most widely accepted method currently available to judge the merits of a paper or journal. (Liu; 2016)
Citation analysis is often used by journals to attract manuscripts with high citation potential. Currently, citation analysis of top-cited articles is wide spread and reported in various medical disciplines.