Published online Nov 14, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i42.5781
Peer-review started: September 20, 2023
First decision: October 7, 2023
Revised: October 18, 2023
Accepted: October 30, 2023
Article in press: October 30, 2023
Published online: November 14, 2023
Processing time: 53 Days and 23.1 Hours
Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a distinctive type of chronic atrophic gastritis that is considered a potential risk factor for some tumors. Increasing numbers of researchers are focusing on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prognosis of AIG.
Bibliometrics is one of the most commonly used methods to evaluate the research status in a field. To date, there are no bibliometric studies related to AIG. Bibliometric analysis provide a more comprehensive overview of the research status and research hotspots in AIG.
This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge structure and research hotspots of AIG and to offer new ideas and directions for its research.
Data for this study were sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection. The proposed search formula was “translational science = Autoimmune gastritis OR Autoimmune atrophic gastritis”. The search was conducted until May 2023, the restricted language was English, and the type of studies included were articles and review articles.
In total, 316 relevant articles were included. From 2015 to 2022, the number of publications increased annually. The countries, institutions, authors, and journals with the highest number of publications in this field were Italy, Monash University, Toh BH, and Internal Medicine. The main keywords usd in this field of research were pathogenesis, Helicobacter pylori, autoantibody, parietal cell antibody, atrophic gastritis, classification, diagnosis, autoimmune disease, risk, cancer, gastric cancer, vitamin B12 deficiency, and pernicious anemia.
This was the first bibliometric analysis related to AIG, highlighting hot topics and emerging trends in the field, and offering new ideas to further scientific research and clinical applications.
The following directions may be popular for future research: (1) The role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of AIG; (2) diagnostic criteria for AIG and the reference value of serum antibodies; (3) comorbidity mechanisms between AIG and other autoimmune diseases; (4) specific risks of AIG complicating gastric and other cancers; and (5) the role of vitamin B12 supplementation in patients with early-stage AIG.