The global state of research in pain management of osteoarthritis (2000-2019): A 20-year visualized analysis

The evolving landscape of publishing in the field of pain: An automated bibliometric analysis from 1975 to 2020

BACKGROUND

The aims of this bibliometric analysis were (1) a longitudinal analysis of the publication landscape in the field of pain (1975-2020) and (2) to characterize the overall publication profiles for two selected journals: European Journal of Pain and PAIN® utilizing an automated approach.

METHODS

Database searches in Scopus extracted all journals with 'pain' in their title. For the two specific journals, papers were manually/automatically profiled into preclinical, human and translational studies.

RESULTS

A gross list of 64 journals in the field of pain consisting of both active and ceased journals in Scopus were included in this analysis which identified 62,565 papers with approximately 4000 papers published/year. These papers include 2759 and 9156 papers in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN®, respectively. Currently, there are 24 active 'pain' journals. Authors/paper increase from 2 to 7 indicating a development from mono-disciplinary to multi-disciplinary studies. The overall publication profiles assessing preclinical, human (experimental/clinical) and translational papers in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN® were almost similar (14%, 75% and 10% versus 26%, 63% and 10%). Papers have changed over the years from mono-disciplinary studies (e.g. behavioural studies) to multi-disciplinary studies (e.g. combined behavioural and cell studies). After optimization, the search model matched the manual screening by 100%, 98% and 96% for the preclinical, clinical and healthy volunteer categories.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the last 45 years, more than 60,000 pain-related papers have been published. Papers develop over the years from mono-disciplinary to multi-disciplinary studies. The overall publication profile including preclinical, human (experimental/clinical) and translational papers was almost similar in Eur. J. Pain and PAIN®.

SIGNIFICANCE

The bibliometric analysis of a pain journal provides information on which specific areas of research are published, how this may have changed over the years and how a journal is positioned compared with other journals in the field.

The global state of research in stem cells therapy for spinal cord injury (2003-2022): a visualized analysis

Objective

Our study aimed to visualize the global status and frontiers in stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury by using bibliometric methodology.

Methods

Publication citation information related to stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI) studies between 2003 and 2022 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. For the visualized study, VOS viewer software and Graph Pad Prism 9.5 were used to perform bibliometric analysis of included data and publication number statistics in stem cell therapy for the SCI domain.

Results

A total of 6,686 publications were retrieved. The USA and China made the highest contributions to global research with the highest number of citations and link strength. The journal Experimental Neurology ranks as the top journal, combining the publication amount and bibliometrics results. The University of Toronto, based in Canada, was the first-ranking institution. The directions of the current study could be divided into five clusters. The research of Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine and Neurosciences Mechanism Research may be the emerging frontiers in this domain.

Conclusion

In summary, stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries is poised for more valuable advances.

Hypercoagulability in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Bibliometric Analysis and Retrospective Data Mining Study

BACKGROUND

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic systemic inflammation, leading to joint deformities and functional loss. RA progression is accompanied by abnormalities in the coagulation-fibrinolysis system, clinically manifested as a hypercoagulable state. However, there are currently no bibliometrics or visualization analysis in this field.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to reveal the knowledge structure, research status, and research trends related to hypercoagulability in RA through bibliometric analysis and to evaluate the utility of inflammatory and coagulation markers in RA disease activity through retrospective data mining.

METHODS

English articles and reviews on RA hypercoagulability published from 2010 to 2023 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database on March 1, 2023. VOSviewer and CiteSpace software were used for knowledge mapping analysis of the included papers in terms of countries/regions, institutions, journals, authors, keywords, research hotspots, and frontiers. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the general information on RA patients. The demographic and clinical indicators of all participants were collected to determine the correlation of inflammatory and coagulation markers with the Chinese patient-reported activity index for rheumatoid arthritis (CPRI-RA).

RESULTS

A total of 957 papers were retrieved. The United States was the most productive country in this field and had the highest h-index, and the most prolific institution was the Karolinska Institute. The Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases was the journal with the most publications, and KLARESKOG L. was the most productive author. From keyword analysis, it could be seen that "inflammation", "activation", "disease-activity", and "risk" had long been the focuses of RA hypercoagulability research. "Criteria", "validation", "coagulation", "target", and "anemia" were the latest popular keywords in the past 5 years. Retrospective data mining revealed that the levels of inflammation (RF, ESR, and CRP) and coagulation (PLT and DD) were significantly increased in RA patients. FBG, CRP, and ESR were significantly correlated with CPRI-RA. Additionally, ESR, CRP, and FBG were identified as independent risk factors for CPRI-RA.

CONCLUSION

The mechanism and application of hypercoagulability in RA have been research hotspots in recent years. Inflammation and coagulation markers are independent risk factors for CPRI-RA.

Efficacy of Boswellia serrata Extract and/or an Omega-3-Based Product for Improving Pain and Function in People Older Than 40 Years with Persistent Knee Pain: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial

A single-center, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial with four arms was conducted in healthy subjects with persistent knee discomfort (pain intensity on 1-10 cm visual analog scale (VAS) > 3) aged 40 years and older treated with a dietary supplement for 8 weeks. The study groups were Boswellia serrata extract (n = 29), an omega-3-based product (AvailOm® 50 High EPA) (n = 31), Boswellia + AvailOm® (n = 30), and placebo (n = 30). The intake of Boswellia + AvailOm® improved the quality of life (QoL) (WOMAC index) and some variables of muscle strength. Statistically significant differences between the AvailOm® and the placebo groups in the decrease of pain intensity were found. Weekly VAS scores showed a significant decrease in pain perception when comparing the AvailOm® product to the placebo, with the lowest VAS scores at week 8. Consumption of Boswellia improved sleep latency. The time to perform the Up and Go test decreased after the intake of AvailOm®. There was an increase in the omega-3 fatty acids, with the greatest increase in the Boswellia + AvailOm® group. AvailOm® was safe and effective in reducing pain and improving the QoL and functionality of subjects over 40 years with persistent knee pain.

Global trends of targeted therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A bibliometric and visualized study from 2008 to 2022

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an exceedingly prevalent malignancy with an exceptionally poor prognosis. Targeted therapy is an effective treatment option for patients with advanced HCC. However, there have been no bibliometric analyses of targeted therapies for HCC.

METHODS

This study aimed to assess the current status and future directions of targeted therapy for HCC to provide future scholars with clearer research contents and popular themes. Methods: Literature on targeted therapy for HCC from 2008 to 2022 was obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) and assessed using bibliometric methodology. Additionally, the VOS viewer was applied in the visualization study to conduct bibliographic coupling, co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analyses of publications.

RESULTS

A total of 10,779 papers were subsequently selected. Over the past 15 years, there has been a progressive increase in the number of publications on an annualized basis. China released the most publications in the field, whereas the United States had the highest H-index. Cancers published the most papers. Fudan University had the greatest sway in this area. Studies could be divided into 5 clusters: "Gene and expression research," "Mechanism study," "Nanoparticle study," "Targeted drug research," and "Clinical study."

CONCLUSIONS

In the upcoming years, more papers on targeted therapy for HCC are expected to be released, demonstrating the potential for this topic to flourish. Particularly, "Clinical study" is the following trendy topic in this field. Other research subfields may likewise exhibit a continuous tendency towards balanced development.

Research Trends and Foci in Osteoarthritis Pain from 2012 to 2022: Bibliometric and Visualization Study

Background

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful and complex joint disease. The unique mechanisms and potential interventions of OA-induced pain have attracted researchers' attention in recent years. Bibliometric and visualization analysis is a comprehensive scientific method that integrates mathematical and statistical approaches to explore research priorities in a specific field. However, there are few studies on OA pain using bibliometric analysis.

Purpose

This study aimed to explore research trends and hotspots in OA pain research field, offer practical guidance to researchers looking for top-notch scholars/institutions/countries, and provide suggestions for journal submissions by analyzing the existing literature.

Methods

Raw data were extracted from Web of Science Core Collection. Microsoft Excel, the R package "bibliometrix", VOSviewer and CiteSpace software were used to analyze data and visualize relevant results.

Results

A total of 2493 articles were included for further bibliometric and visualization analysis. During the investigated period, 2021 with 343 publications was the most productive year. Fillingim, Roger B. and Bennell, Kim L. with 32 articles were the most productive authors. Most publications were from the USA (797 articles, 20,727 citations). Rehabilitation and treatment of OA pain were the hotspots in OA pain research area. The top-contributing journal was Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. Boston University (91 articles; 4050 citations) was the most active institution.

Conclusion

The total publications of OA pain generally increasing over the time in the last decade, and the escalating rate remained a high level. This is the first comprehensive bibliometric study in OA pain research field, and it will offer practical guidance to researchers in this field.

Thirty-year survey of bibliometrics used in the research literature of pain: Analysis, evolution, and pitfalls

During the last decades, the emergence of Bibliometrics and the progress in Pain research have led to a proliferation of bibliometric studies on the medical and scientific literature of pain (B/P). This study charts the evolution of the B/P literature published during the last 30 years. Using various searching techniques, 189 B/P studies published from 1993 to August 2022 were collected for analysis-half were published since 2018. Most of the selected B/P publications use classic bibliometric analysis of Pain in toto, while some focus on specific types of Pain with Headache/Migraine, Low Back Pain, Chronic Pain, and Cancer Pain dominating. Each study is characterized by the origin (geographical, economical, institutional, …) and the medical/scientific context over a specified time span to provide a detailed landscape of the Pain research literature. Some B/P studies have been developed to pinpoint difficulties in appropriately identifying the Pain literature or to highlight some general publishing pitfalls. Having observed that most of the recent B/P studies have integrated newly emergent software visualization tools (SVTs), we found an increase of anomalies and suggest that readers exercise caution when interpreting results in the B/P literature details.

Bibliometric analysis and visualization of literature on assisted reproduction technology

Introduction

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a method that uses various techniques to process sperm or ova. Assisted reproductive technology involves removing ova from a woman's ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman's body or donating them to another woman.

Methods

Based on the web of science core collection database, we firstly analyzed the quantity and quality of publications in the field of ART, secondly profiled the publishing groups in terms of country, institution, author's publication and cooperation network, and finally sorted out and summarized the hot topics of research.

Results

In total, 6,288 articles on ART were published between 2001 and 2022 in 1,013 journals. Most of these published articles represent the global research status, potential hotspots and future research directions. Publications and citations of research on assisted reproductive technology have steadily increased over the past few decades. Academic institutions in Europe and the United States have been leading in assisted reproductive technology research. The countries, institutions, journals, and authors with the most published articles were the United States (1864), Harvard Univ (108), Fertility and Sterility (819), and Stern, Judy E. (64). The most commonly used keywords are Assisted reproductive technology (3303) and in-vitro Fertilization (2139), Ivf (1140), Pregnancy (1140), Women (769), Intracytoplasmic Sperm injection (644), In Fertilization (632), Risk (545), and Outcome (423).

Conclusion

Frozen embryo transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and in vitro fertilization are the main research topics and hotspots in the field of assisted reproductive technology.

A comparison of 3 productive authors' research domains based on sources from articles, cited references and citing articles using social network analysis

BACKGROUND

An individual's research domain (RD) can be determined from objective publication data (e.g., medical subject headings and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms) by performing social network analysis. Bibliographic coupling (such as cocitation) is a similarity metric that relies on citation analysis to determine the similarity in RD between 2 articles. This study compared RD consistency between articles as well as their cited references and citing articles (ARCs).

METHODS

A total of 1388 abstracts were downloaded from PubMed and authored by 3 productive authors. Based on the top 3 clusters in social network analysis, similarity in RD was observed by comparing their consistency using the major MeSH terms in author articles, cited references and citing articles (ARC). Impact beam plots with La indices were drawn and compared for each of the 3 authors.

RESULTS

Sung-Ho Jang (South Korea), Chia-Hung Kao (Taiwan), and Chin-Hsiao Tseng (Taiwan) published 445, 780, and 163 articles, respectively. Dr Jang's RD is physiology, and Dr Kao and Dr Tseng's RDs are epidemiology. We confirmed the consistency of the RD terms by comparing the major MeSH terms in the ARC. Their La indexes were 5, 5, and 6, where a higher value indicates more extraordinary research achievement.

CONCLUSION

RD consistency was confirmed by comparing the main MeSH terms in ARC. The 3 approaches of RD determination (based on author articles, the La index, and the impact beam plots) were recommended for bibliographical studies in the future.

Bibliometric and visualization analysis of literature relating to diabetic erectile dysfunction

INTRODUCTION

Diabetic erectile dysfunction (DMED) refers to erectile dysfunction secondary to diabetes. Erectile dysfunction is characterized by a persistent inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual activity.

METHODS

Based on the Web of Science core collection database, we firstly analyzed the quantity and quality of publications in the field of DMED, secondly profiled the publishing groups in terms of country, institution, author's publication and cooperation network, and finally sorted out and summarized the hot topics of research.

RESULTS

From 2001 to 2022, a total of 1,403 articles relating to this topic were published in 359 journals. They represent the global research status, potential hotspots, and future research directions. The number of DMED-related publications and citations has steadily increased over the few past decades. Academic institutions from Europe and the United States have played a leading role in DMED research. The country, institution, journal, and author with the most publications were the United States (294), INHA University (39), the Journal of Sexual Medicine (156), and Ryu, Ji-Kan (29), respectively. The most common keywords were erectile dysfunction (796), men (256), diabetes (254), diabetes mellitus (239), prevalence (180), corpus cavernosum (171), dysfunction (155), mellitus (154), nitric-oxide synthase (153), and expression (140). The main keyword-based research topics and hotspots in the DMED field were oral sildenafil, smooth muscle relaxation, nitric oxide synthase, gene therapy, metabolic syndrome, cavernous nerve injury, stem cell, and penile prosthesis.

DISCUSSION

The terms oral sildenafil, smooth muscle relaxation, nitric oxide synthase, gene therapy, metabolic syndrome, cavernous nerve injury, stem cell, and penile prosthesis will be at the forefront of DMED-related research.

What is pain: Are cognitive and social features core components?

Pain is a universal experience, but it has been challenging to adequately define. The revised definition of pain recently published by the International Association for the Study of Pain addressed important shortcomings of the previous version; however, it remains narrow in its focus on sensory and emotional features of pain, failing to capture the substantial roles of cognitive and social core components of the experience and their importance to advances in pain management. This paper reviews evidence and theoretical models for the significant role social and cognitive factors play in pain experience and we argue that without explicit recognition of these core components in the definition, significant nuances are lost at a cost to understanding and clinical management of pain. A focus on sensory and emotional features perpetuates biomedical interventions and research, whereas recognition of cognitive and social features supports a multidimensional model of pain, advances in interdisciplinary care, and the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy and self‐management interventions. We also explore the six Key Notes that accompany the new definition of pain, discuss their application to the understanding of pain in childhood, and, in doing so, further explore social and cognitive implications. Considerations are also described for assessment and treatment of pain in pediatric populations.

Ankylosing spondylitis rehabilitation publications and the global productivity: a Web of Science-based bibliometric analysis (2000-2019)

Rehabilitation programs have an important place in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but there is no comprehensive bibliometric research that assesses publications on AS rehabilitation in a holistic way. The aim of this study was to investigate the quantity and quality of articles related to AS rehabilitation and to reveal the features of global productivity in this topic. This bibliometric study was conducted utilizing the Web of Science (WoS) database with the keywords 'ankylosing spondylitis rehabilitation', 'ankylosing spondylitis exercise', 'ankylosing spondylitis physical therapy' and 'ankylosing spondylitis physiotherapy'. The number of articles, citations, and main active countries were determined and trend analyses were performed. A total of 792 articles were reviewed. The articles originated from 51 different countries, 22 of which met the main active country criteria. A significant increase trend was detected in the number of articles between 2000 and 2019 (p < 0.001). The five most productive countries were Germany (n = 111; 14.02%), Turkey (n = 98; 12.37%), the United States (n = 71; 8.96%), the United Kingdom (n = 53; 6.69%) and the Netherlands (n = 53; 6.69%). The highest values in number of articles per million population were calculated in Norway, the Netherlands and Austria, respectively. In the analysis according to GDP, Norway, the Netherlands and Turkey were ranked as the first three. The top three countries for the average citation count were France, Netherlands and Germany. This bibliometric study can be considered as an assessment and summary of worldwide scientific production on AS rehabilitation. The data demonstrate an increasing trend in research productivity since 2000. European countries were seen to be at the forefront both quantitatively and qualitatively in this area.