Global Trends on β-Thalassemia Research Over 10 Years: A Bibliometric Analysis

Aixiang Lv,1,2,* Jingmin Li,1,2,* Meihuan Chen,1,* Wei Wang,3 Liangpu Xu,1 Hailong Huang1,2 1Medical Genetic Diagnosis and Therapy Center of Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Prenatal Diagnosis and Birth Defect, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Plastic Surgery, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Liangpu Xu; Hailong Huang, Email [email protected]; [email protected]: Thalassemia, an inherited quantitative globin disorder, is the most prevalent monogenic disease globally. While severe alpha thalassemia results in intrauterine death, β-thalassemia manifests during childhood due to the “second conversion of hemoglobin”, garnering increased attention in recent decades.Methods: In this study, a bibliometric analysis was conducted of thalassemia articles published in the Web of Science Core Collection database between 2013 and 2023 to establish a comprehensive overview and to identify emerging trends. A total of 5655 studies published between 2013 and 2023 were systematically retrieved, and annual publications demonstrated a steady increase, maintaining a high level over the past decade.Results: The United States contributed the highest number of publications, followed by China. Notably, the journal Blood emerged as the leading authority in β-thalassemia research. Analysis of research hotspots revealed that the pathogenesis of β-thalassemia is primarily linked to iron overload, anemia, gene mutations, and ineffective erythropoiesis. Furthermore, recent studies focusing on gene editing therapies present promising avenues for future investigation.Conclusion: These findings grasp the research status of β-thalassemia and shed new light on future research frontiers.Keywords: bibliometric, citespace, hotspots, thalassemia, VOSviewer