Scientific Productivity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Global Survey of Research Activity

Mapping knowledge landscapes and research frontiers of gastrointestinal microbiota and bone metabolism: a text-mining study

Introduction

Extensive research efforts have been dedicated to elucidating the intricate pathways by which gastrointestinal microbiota and their metabolites exert influence on the processes of bone formation. Nonetheless, a notable gap exists in the literature concerning a bibliometric analysis of research trends at the nexus of gastrointestinal microbiota and bone metabolism.

Methods

To address this scholarly void, the present study employs a suite of bibliometric tools including online platforms, CiteSpace and VOSviewer to scrutinize the pertinent literature in the realm of gastrointestinal microbiota and bone metabolism.

Results and discussion

Examination of the temporal distribution of publications spanning from 2000 to 2023 reveals a discernible upward trajectory in research output, characterized by an average annual growth rate of 19.2%. Notably, China and the United States emerge as primary contributors. Predominant among contributing institutions are Emory University, Harvard University, and the University of California. Pacifici R from Emory University contributed the most research with 15 publications. In the realm of academic journals, Nutrients emerges as the foremost publisher, followed closely by Frontiers in Microbiology and PLOS One. And PLOS One attains the highest average citations of 32.48. Analysis of highly cited papers underscores a burgeoning interest in the therapeutic potential of probiotics or probiotic blends in modulating bone metabolism by augmenting host immune responses. Notably, significant research attention has coalesced around the therapeutic interventions of probiotics, particularly Lactobacillus reuteri, in osteoporosis, as well as the role of gastrointestinal microbiota in the etiology and progression of osteoarthritis. Keyword analysis reveals prevalent terms including gut microbiota, osteoporosis, bone density, probiotics, inflammation, SCFAs, metabolism, osteoarthritis, calcium absorption, obesity, double-blind, prebiotics, mechanisms, postmenopausal women, supplementation, risk factors, oxidative stress, and immune system. Future research endeavors warrant a nuanced exploration of topics such as inflammation, obesity, SCFAs, postmenopausal osteoporosis, skeletal muscle, oxidative stress, double-blind trials, and pathogenic mechanisms. In summary, this study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global research on the interplay between gastrointestinal microbiota and bone metabolism, offering valuable insights for scholars, particularly nascent researchers, embarking on analogous investigations within this domain.

Scientific Knowledge of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2011 to 2020

Background

Recently, research on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has made rapid progress and grown rapidly. It is a challenge to comprehensively understand RA research and hotspots. The aim of this study was to explore the current status and research trends of RA through bibliometric analysis and to provide directions for future development.

Methods

Publications on RA from 2011 to 2020 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC). VOSviewer, CiteSpace and online bibliometric platform were used to analyze publication characteristics, including countries, institutions, journals, authors, core references, and keywords.

Results

A total of 17,037 publications were included. The publications steadily increased over the 10 years. The United States (3648 publications), with the largest proportion of publications and citations, was the largest contributor. Karolinska Institutet (508) and Annals of the Rheumatoid Disease (763) were the most active institution and journal, respectively. Emery P (193) and Tanaka Y (193) were the most prolific authors, and Smolen JS ranked first among the cited authors. The most cited reference focused on recommendations for the management of RA with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. A co-occurrence network analysis revealed four highly connected clusters of keywords in RA research, including etiology, pathology, prognosis, biomarkers and treatment of RA.

Conclusion

The present study shows a systematic and comprehensive overview of the RA-related research in the past 10 years. Clinical trials on the long-term efficiency and safety of JAK inhibitors and other novel targeted drugs may be the potential research directions for future study in this field.