Status and trends in research of noise exposure and metabolic syndrome over the past 2 decades in global, 2004 to 2024: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Background: – The non-auditory health damage caused by noise exposure has received increasing attention. This study aimed to identify the patterns and prominent themes in research on noise exposure and metabolic syndrome (MetS) through bibliometric analysis, thereby facilitating the exploration of innovative research directions. Methods: – A comprehensive literature review of studies on noise exposure and MetS from 2004 to 2024 was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database. Information, including “all recorded and cited references, ” was extracted. CiteSpace and VOSviewer were employed for bibliometric analysis of relevant publications, covering aspects such as countries, institutions, authors, journals, citations, and keywords. Results: – Since 2004, studies related to noise exposure and MetS had shown an upward trend. Our bibliometric analysis identified 1023 studies published before 2024. The United States is a leading force in the field of noise exposure and MetS research, showing the highest number of publications, with the England and Germany also making significant contributions. Cooperation among European institutions forms a strong pillar in this field and has had an extraordinary impact. NOISE HEALTH and ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARC emerged as the most prolific journals, while the EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL ranked among the top 10 most-influential journals. The German researcher Munzel Thomas had a notable influence. Jonannes Gutenberg University of Main was the institution with the highest number of publications and citations. Widely cited papers and popular keyword clusters reflected the status and trends in noise exposure and MetS research. Conclusions: – The summarized research focuses include experimental and epidemiological studies on the effects of noise on blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids, especially the special effects of traffic noise and occupational noise. Future research should concentrate on the effects of noise on lipid metabolism, the combined effects of noise and environmental pollutants, and the mechanism of MetS induced by noise. It is hypothesized that targeting gene loci associated with noise-induced MetS could be an innovative direction in this field.