Bibliometric and visualization analysis of mesenchymal stem cells and rheumatoid arthritis (from 2012 to 2021)

Jiaxi Liu; Jinfang Gao; Qing Niu; Fengping Wu; Zewen Wu; Liyun Zhang

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1001598

Bibliometric and visualization analysis of mesenchymal stem cells and rheumatoid arthritis (from 2012 to 2021)

Front Immunol. 2022 Oct 13:13:1001598. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1001598. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jiaxi Liu¹, Jinfang Gao¹, Qing Niu², Fengping Wu², Zewen Wu¹, Liyun Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, China.
² School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can lead to joint deformity and loss of function. Recent studies have shown great progress in the research of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in RA. However, thus far, there have been no bibliometric or visualization analyses in this field. This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the general information and research hotspots of MSCs and RA.

Methods: Articles relevant to MSCs and RA, published between 2012 and 2021, were searched using the Web of Science Core Collection database. Irrelevant publications were excluded from the analysis. Bibliometric and visualization analyses were conducted using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Scimago Graphica.

Results: A total of 577 articles were analyzed. The annual number of publications increased from 2012 to 2017 and plateaued from 2017 to 2021. China and the USA had the largest number of publications. Collaboration among different organizations mainly occurs between institutes of the same country. Stem Cell Research and Therapy and Frontiers in Immunology were the most popular journals in this field. All the top 20 co-cited authors had a positive co-citation relationship. The top references indicate that MSCs can contribute to RA research and treatment mainly via immunomodulation. From 2012 to 2021, "collagen-induced arthritis," "immunomodulation," and "therapy" were some of the keywords associated with MSCs and RA, while "extracellular vesicles" showed a strong keyword burst from 2019 to 2021.

Conclusion: MSCs and RA have been widely studied in different countries and institutions and by different authors over the last ten years. China and the USA had the largest number of publications. Different types of journals provide admirable sources for researchers. Some keywords, including immunomodulation and extracellular vesicles, may be hot spots in the near future. There will be more basic research and clinical translation of MSCs and RA, and substantial new treatments for RA will soon be developed.

Keywords: autoimmune disease; bibliometric analysis; mesenchymal stem cells; rheumatoid arthritis; visualization analysis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Arthritis, Rheumatoid* / drug therapy
Bibliometrics
Databases, Factual
Humans
Mesenchymal Stem Cells*