Trends in iron deficiency anemia research 2015-2024: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Introduction. Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most prevalent pathologies worldwide, affecting over 1.2 billion people. A bibliometric analysis of publications from the past 10 years demonstrates a high level of interest in this issue among physicians of various specialties. Key research areas include studying pathogenesis, early diagnosis, and the most optimal methods for iron delivery. Aim. To examine the main research trends in iron deficiency anemia, based on estimating literature sources published between 2015 and 2024, with a particular focus on identifying the most often cited articles and authors publishing data in this area, as well as the most active collaborative research networks. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted using data obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection, a citation database, on the topic of “iron deficiency anemia,” limited to document types (articles or reviews), the English language, and a time interval from 2015 to 2024. The following data were extracted from the articles: Publication year, journal, study design, the first author’s country, and number of citations. The metadata obtained from the search were used to identify trends in iron deficiency anemia research and their distribution across countries/regions and institutions. Networks were visualized using VOSviewer (Leiden University), a software program for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks, to identify international research groups and pinpoint the hotspots. Results and Discussion. The search identified 4,167 publications based on the query. Since 2021, there has been an almost twofold increase in publication activity. The leading positions in terms of the number of publications are held by the USA, India, and China. Seven clusters of 36 countries were identified for collaborative publications: USA, Great Britain, India, Germany, Italy, and other countries. Journals with the highest number of publications in the top ten are from the USA, Great Britain, and Switzerland. A total of 140 keywords was identified, with a frequency of use greater than 35 times. Conclusions. Publication activity and high citation rates on iron deficiency anemia have more than doubled since 2021. The largest number of studies were published in the USA, India, and China. Research predominantly focuses on studying pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in women and children, as well as on methods for correction with parenteral iron preparations and dietary supplements.