The application of proteomics in asthma research: a bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common inflammatory disease of the respiratory system. Following the advent of genomics, proteomics has emerged as a valuable research approach. This study aimed to pinpoint key research areas and trends in the use of proteomics for asthma through bibliometric analysis, offering insights into future research paths. METHODS: Articles related to asthma and proteomics published between 2000 and 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. The data were analyzed and visualized using the bibliometric software CiteSpace (version number: v.6.1 R6). RESULTS: A total of 520 articles were included in this study, and a gradual increase in the annual publication volume was observed. The USA, China, and Sweden ranked as the top three countries in terms of publication output. The USA exhibited the highest centrality (0.42), indicating its influence in this field. At the institutional level, the Karolinska Institute had the highest number of publications. The keyword clustering analysis revealed that the research focuses on airway inflammation mechanisms, proteomics methodologies, precision medicine applications, and clinical phenotype characterization. Keywords like "proteomics," "mass spectrometry," and "precision medicine" have seen significant citation increases recently, highlighting proteomics' role in advancing asthma research, biomarker discovery, and personalized therapies. CONCLUSION: a bibliometric analysis, we have generated a comprehensive knowledge framework for researchers. Future studies should place greater emphasis on the clinical application of biomarkers, multi-omics integration, and the development of personalized treatment strategies.