Global research trends on gut microbiota and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis: Insights from bibliometric and scientometric analysis.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is an inflammatory subtype of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has recently been proposed as a replacement term for NAFLD, a common, multifactorial and poorly understood liver disease whose incidence is increasing worldwide. In recent years, there has been increasing scientific interest in exploring the relationship between gut microbiota and MASH. To learn more about the gut microbiota in MASH, this study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the knowledge structure and research hotspots from a bibliometric perspective. We searched the Web of Science Core Collection for articles and reviews that covered the connections between gut microbiota and MASH over the last decade. The Online Analysis Platforms, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, the R tool "bibliometrix" were used to analyzed existing publications trends and hotspots. A total of 4,069 documents related to the interaction between gut microbiota and MASH were retrieved from 2014 to 2023. The number of annual publications increased significantly over the last decade, particularly in the United States and China. The University of California-San Diego was the most productive institution, while researcher Rohit Loomba published the most papers in the field. Younossi ZM was ranked as the first co-cited author and largest contributor of highly cited articles in the field. Gastroenterology and hepatology were the most common specialty category. The most cited journal in the last decade was Hepatology. The Keyword Bursts analysis highlighted the importance of studying the association between gut microbiota and MASH, as well as related factors such as metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, endotoxemia and overgrowth of gut bacteria. Keyword clusters with co-citation were used to illustrate important topics including intestinal permeability, insulin sensitivity and liver immunology. The most common keywords include insulin resistance, obesity, dysbiosis, inflammation and oxidative stress, which are current hotspots. Our analysis highlights key aspects of this field and emphasizes multiorgan crosstalk in MASLD/MASH pathogenesis. In particular, the central role of the gut-liver axis and the significant influence of gut microbiota dysbiosis on disease progression are highlighted. Furthermore, our results highlight the transformative potential of microbiota-specific therapies and cover the way for innovative healthcare and pharmaceutical strategies.

Alam N ，Jia L ，Cheng A ，Ren H ，Fu Y ，Ding X ，Haq IU ，Liu E ... -  《Frontiers in Pharmacology》

Global trends and hotspots of treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A bibliometric and visualization analysis (2010-2023).

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is chronic, with its progression leading to liver fibrosis and end-stage cirrhosis. Although NAFLD is increasingly common, no treatment guideline has been established. Many mechanistic studies and drug trials have been conducted for new drug development to treat NAFLD. An up-to-date overview on the knowledge structure of NAFLD through bibliometrics, focusing on research hotspots, is necessary to reveal the rational and timely directions of development in this field. To research the latest literature and determine the current trends in treatment for NAFLD. Publications related to treatment for NAFLD were searched on the Web of Science Core Collection database, from 2010 to 2023. VOSviewers, CiteSpace, and R package "bibliometrix" were used to conduct this bibliometric analysis. The key information was extracted, and the results of the cluster analysis were based on network data for generating and investigating maps for country, institution, journal, and author. Historiography analysis, bursts and cluster analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and trend topic revealed the knowledge structure and research hotspots in this field. GraphPad Prism 9.5.1.733 and Microsoft Office Excel 2019 were used for data analysis and visualization. In total, 10829 articles from 120 countries (led by China and the United States) and 8785 institutions were included. The number of publications related to treatment for NAFLD increased annually. While China produced the most publications, the United States was the most cited country, and the United Kingdom collaborated the most from an international standpoint. The University of California-San Diego, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine produced the most publications of all the research institutions. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences was the most frequent journal out of the 1523 total journals, and Hepatology was the most cited and co-cited journal. Sanyal AJ was the most cited author, the most co-cited author was Younossi ZM, and the most influential author was Loomba R. The most studied topics included the epidemiology and mechanism of NAFLD, the development of accurate diagnosis, the precise management of patients with NAFLD, and the associated metabolic comorbidities. The major cluster topics were "emerging drug," "glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist," "metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease," "gut microbiota," and "glucose metabolism." The bibliometric study identified recent research frontiers and hot directions, which can provide a valuable reference for scholars researching treatments for NAFLD.

Dai JJ ，Zhang YF ，Zhang ZH 《-》

Emerging trends and hotspots in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) research from 2012 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease. MAFLD is a major risk factor for end-stage liver disease including cirrhosis and primary liver cancer. The pathogenesis of MAFLD is complex and has not yet been clarified. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have conducted quantitative bibliometric analysis to evaluate published MAFLD research. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of MAFLD publications over the past decade to summarize the current research hotspots and predict future research directions in this field. Articles into MAFLD published from 2012 to 2021 were identified from the Science Citation Index-Expanded of Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace software, VOSviewer, the "bibliometrix" R package, and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology were used to analyze the current publication trends and hotspots. We retrieved 13959 English articles about MAFLD published from 2012 to 2021. Primary sites of publication were dominated by the United States until 2014, when China became the source of most published MAFLD-related research papers. The United States was found to be the most engaged country in international cooperative efforts. Shanghai Jiao Tong University was the most productive institution. Loomba R was the most productive author with 123 articles. The co-cited keyword cluster tag showed ten main clusters: #0 liver fibrosis, #1 hemoglobin, #2 metabolic associated fatty liver disease, #3 egcg, #4 myocardial infarction, #5 heart disease, #6 pnpla3, #7 hepatocellular carcinoma, #8 noninvasive marker, and #9 children. Keyword burst analysis showed that gut microbiota was the highest-intensity research hotspot. In the past decade, the number of publications on MAFLD increased dramatically, especially in the last three years. Gut microbiota became an important research direction for etiological and therapeutic investigations into MAFLD. Insulin resistance was also a key factor in studying the development of MAFLD in recent years. Liver fibrosis was an important focus of disease development. This study provides systematic information, helps guide future research, and helps to identify mechanisms and new treatment methods for MAFLD.

Liao Y ，Wang L ，Liu F ，Zhou Y ，Lin X ，Zhao Z ，Xu S ，Tang D ，Jiao Y ，Yang L ，Yu W ，Gao P ... -  《Frontiers in Endocrinology》

Research reviews and prospects of gut microbiota in liver cirrhosis: a bibliometric analysis (2001-2023).

The gut-liver axis has emerged as a focal point in chronic liver disorders, prompting more research into the role of the gut microbiota in liver cirrhosis. In individuals with liver cirrhosis, changes in the structure and function of the gut microbiota are closely tied to clinical prognosis. However, there is a scarcity of bibliometric evaluations conducted in this particular field. This study is aiming to conduct a complete analysis of the knowledge structure and centers pertaining to gut microbiota in liver cirrhosis using bibliometric methods. Publications on gut microbiota and liver cirrhosis from 2001 to 2023 are sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection. For the bibliometric analysis, we employ VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix". Our study encompasses a comprehensive collection of 3109 articles originating from 96 countries, with notable contributions from leading nations such as the United States and China. The quantity of publications concerning the gut microbiota of liver cirrhosis rises annually. The University of California San Diego, Virginia Commonwealth University, Zhejiang University are the primary research institutions. World Journal of Gastroenterology publishes the most papers in this field, while hepatology is the most frequently co-cited journal. These publications come from a total of 15,965 authors, and the most prolific authors are Bajaj Jasmohan S., Schnabl Bernd and Gillevet Patrick M., while the most co-cited authors are Bajaj Jasmohan S., Younossi Zobair M., and Reiner Wiest. In addition, "dysbiosis", "gut microbiota", "intestinal barrier", "fecal microbiota transplantation", and "complement-system" are the primary keywords of research trends in recent years. This study offering a comprehensive insight into the research dynamics surrounding gut microbiota in patients with liver cirrhosis. It delineates the current research frontiers and hotspots, serving as a valuable guide for scholars.

Zhu X ，Zhou Z ，Pan X 《-》

Emerging trends and hotspots in the links between the gut microbiota and MAFLD from 2002 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis.

The prevalence of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) presented a booming growth over recent years in the whole world. MAFLD was associated with a higher risk of end-stage liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver transplantation. Accumulating evidence indicated that gut microbiota and MAFLD were interrelated and interacted with each other. However, to the knowledge of the authors, no bibliometric quantitative analysis has been carried out to evaluate the links between the gut microbiota and MAFLD. This study aimed to use bibliometric analysis to evaluate current publication trends and hotspots in the links between the gut microbiota and MAFLD, in order to advance research in this field. The articles regarding the links between gut microbiota and MAFLD from 2002 to 2021 were identified from the Science Citation Index-Expanded of Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace software, Vosviewer, the R package "bibliometrix" and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology were used to analyze current publication trends and hotspots in this field. A total of 707 articles were retrieved regarding the links between gut microbiota and MAFLD from 2002 to 2021. The USA occupied the leading role until 2015 and the dominance of China started in 2016. The USA was the most frequently involved country in international cooperation. Shanghai Jiao Tong University was the most productive institution. Ina Bergheim was the most productive author, publishing 14 articles. The co-citation keywords cluster label displayed ten main clusters: probiotics, bile acid, immune function, adolescents, nutritional genomics, high fat diet, systems biology, lipopolysaccharides, phosphatidylcholine, and oxidative stress. Keyword bursts analysis indicated that diet induced obesity, metabolic syndrome, ppar alpha, and lactobacillus were the research hotspots with high strength. The number of publications covering the links of gut microbiota and MAFLD increased dramatically in the past decade and especially became exponential growth in the last 3 years. Probiotics and bile acid will be the research direction of great importance in the etiology and novel treatment for MAFLD. This study provided systematic information and instructive assistance for future research work, that helped to discover the mechanisms and new treatments of MAFLD.

Li Y ，Zhou Y ，Wang L ，Lin X ，Mao M ，Yin S ，Zhu L ，Jiao Y ，Yu W ，Gao P ，Yang L ... -  《Frontiers in Endocrinology》