Unveiling transplantation research productivity of United States: A bibliometric analysis

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

Research background

Over the years, significant advancements have been made in the field of organ transplantation, saving innumerable lives and improving the quality of life for patients worldwide. The United States plays a pivotal role in advancing these advancements, contributing a substantial volume of research and clinical innovations. Given this position of leadership, ongoing assessments are essential for navigating the swiftly evolving landscape of transplantation research. These evaluations aid in identifying emerging trends, identifying areas of interest, and highlighting opportunities for international collaborations. Therefore, periodic evaluations, especially using techniques such as bibliometric analysis, are essential for maintaining the United States' cutting-edge contributions to this vital medical field and for guiding future research endeavors.

Research motivation

Bibliometric analysis is a useful method for systematically evaluating research output in order to navigate this ever-expanding landscape. This form of analysis provides a comprehensive overview of current research trends, influential publications, and key areas of concentration. It establishes a data-driven foundation for future research directions, ensuring that efforts are focused on areas with the greatest impact and need. Consequently, periodic bibliometric assessments are essential for maintaining the field's ongoing progress and sustaining the vitality of research efforts in this essential medical discipline.

Research objectives

This study's primary objective is to conduct a thorough analysis of the current status of organ transplantation research in the United States. Specific objectives include identifying the primary contributing authors and institutions, assessing the predominant research topics through keyword analysis, and determining the scope of international collaborations.

Research methods

In this first-of-its-kind study, we utilized the Web of Science database to perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. This resource was selected due to its extensive collection of academic journals. The software VOSviewer was used to visualize data, enabling the identification of key trends, such as top-contributing institutions and international collaborations. This bibliometric approach provided unprecedented insight into the prevalent research trends, major contributors, and key focus areas in United States organ transplantation research output.

Research results

This comprehensive analysis provides important insights into the current status of organ transplantation research in the United States. The University of Pittsburgh emerges as an important institution, indicating a concentration of expertise and potentially functioning as a hub for future cooperation. The American Journal of Transplantation's high number of citations demonstrates its reputation as a prominent venue for disseminating influential research, thereby influencing the field's practices and policies. Moreover, Canada's position as the United States' top international collaborator demonstrates the efficacy of global partnerships in advancing research. Despite these contributions, obstacles remain, such as the need for expanded international collaborations, particularly with developing nations, and the exploration of under researched areas in organ transplantation. These findings highlight the significance of ongoing evaluations in maintaining and advancing the field of study.

Research conclusions

In this study, a bibliometric analysis method was introduced to quantitatively evaluate the landscape of organ transplantation research authored by American researchers. Over the past 25 years, the number of scientific research articles written by American authors on the topic of organ transplantation has increased consistently, paralleling the overall development of the field. Nevertheless, a significant decline in research output was observed in 2022, necessitating close observation and monitoring in the years to come. Our study revealed that the three most frequently occurring keywords were outcome, survival and recipients, indicating the importance of graft and recipient outcome measurements to American researchers. Although the United States has made significant contributions to the global advancement of organ transplantation practice, there is still plenty of opportunity for collaboration with other nations, particularly developing countries.

Research perspectives

The study sheds new light on collaboration in organ transplantation research. By utilizing bibliometric methods, we were able to identify crucial collaboration patterns. Within the United States, the interdependence of prominent institutions is evident. An important international collaborator stands out. These insights suggest that future research could benefit from targeted collaborations that capitalize on the assets of prominent United States and international centers and authors. Particularly, unrealized potential exists for partnerships with developing nations to expand the global scope of organ transplantation research.