Bibliometric Analysis of Literature on Colistin Resistance: 1947-2019

Abstract

Objective: Nowadays, antibiotic resistance is defined as a global public health problem. The World Health Organization aims to raise awareness among users and policy makers by grouping both critically importantl antibiotics and resistant bacteria. In this study, it is aimed to make the bibliometric evaluation of of the literature on the resistance of colistin. Method: Specific keywords associated with colistin resistance were used in Scopus database covering the period between 1947, and 2019. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of retrieved data were presented using appropriate bibliometric indicators, the number, and language of the publications, the countries that contributed mostly to the literature, the most influential institutions, the most frequently cited publications, active writers and active journals. Results: A total of 1454 articles were evaluated. Although the number of articles showed an increase from 2009 to 2015, it was determined that the increases after 2015 were quite dramatical. The most common language in the published articles was English (95.75%) followed by Chinese (1.16%). The United States of America (USA) contributed mostly with 21.46% of the articles followed by China with 16.02% of articles. Approximately 13% of the retrieved articles on colistin resistance were published in the journal of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. Conclusion: There has been a dramatical increase in the number of publications on the resistance to colistin, which came into use due to the widespread use of carbapenemases. This bibliometric study is expected to help health policy makers and researcher on the planning and development of policies regarding colistin.