Background: The Covid-19 pandemic, sparked by the emergence of a novel coronavirus in early 2020, has prompted a surge in published articles. This study aims to systematically analyse the characteristics and trends of impactful research in the field, supporting evidence-based medical practices.

Methods: The 100 most-cited publications associated with Covid-19 were identified by two independent reviewers using the “Web of Science” database across all available journals up to the year 2023. Data were collected on country, citation count, main subject, level of evidence, impact factor, funding sources and study design.

Findings: A total of 394,038 publications were identified and the 100 most-cited publications were ranked. Collectively the 100 most-cited articles on Covid-19 were cited by a total of 283, 034 articles with each article having a mean citation count of 5416 to 469. China (n = 44), United States of America (n = 19) and United Kingdom (n = 13) were the three highest contributors with XXX citations in total. Majority of the articles presented level five evidence (n = 48), followed by level three (n = 28), four (n = 14), two (n = 7), and one (n = 3). The main subjects covered the mechanism of action and structures of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (n = 18) and the impact of Covid-19 on public health (n = 18). Notably, publications in 2022 and 2023 predominantly focused on the impact of Covid-19.

Interpretation: The majority of the highly cited studies were of low to moderate quality, with only 10 consisting of randomized controlled trials or systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis. These findings reflect a growing interest in understanding the multifaceted complications of the Covid-19 pandemic on public and mental health. Moreover, this analysis offers valuable insights into potential future research directions.