Bibliometric analysis of virtual and augmented reality in critical care medicine

Long-term exposure to the ICU environment often lead to psychological issues in patients. These conditions highlight the importance of mental health awareness and accessible treatments. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have shown promising applications in the ICU for its potential in alleviate and treat the psychological problems. Aims: This study strives to utilize bibliometric techniques to discern emerging research trends in the field of “VR and AR in critical care medicine”. Study design: We chose the WoSCC as the source database for data retrieval. The R software and the bibliometric online analysis platform were used for data analysis. Results: There were 139 documents on “VR and AR in critical care medicine” in the WOSCC from 1995 to 2024 (March 11, 2024). The number of publications has steadily increased annually. Based on the report from WoS, the United States emerged as the leading nation in this research field, the predominant subject area are “General Internal Medicine” ((n = 41, 29.50%) and “Nursing” (n = 17, 12.23%). The thematic map highlights the most important topics in the field of “VR and AR in critical care medicine”. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis presents a comprehensive evaluation of the developing research trends and core areas of "VR and AR in critical care medicine". The exploration of VR and AR within this field is still in its early stages. Future research should prioritize the exploration of immersive training, patient monitoring, the alleviation of psychological problems, and the reduction of medical errors.