The New England Journal of Medicine published the largest number of the most frequently cited journal articles of 2005, according to rankings out today that were compiled by Science Watch. According to a news release issued by the Thomson Corporation, which publishes Science Watch, The New England Journal published 13 of the 40 most-often-cited papers last year, including four of the top five.

The top article, “C-reactive Protein Levels and Outcomes After Statin Therapy,” which appeared in the journal in January, was written by a research group led by Paul M. Ridker, a professor of medicine at Harvard University. The paper drew 124 citations. Given the fast pace of research in medicine and the biological sciences, papers in those fields dominated the list, although physics and astronomy articles totaled three of the top 40.

The rankings are chiefly useful as fodder for water-cooler one-upmanship, as sci-gossips look at what research is getting attention and which journal is publishing it. The rankings do not have nearly the effect on researchers’ careers as the impact factors, also compiled by a division of Thomson, that have become an unyielding yardstick for hiring, tenure, and grants (The Chronicle, October 14, 2005).