Global Trends in Research Regarding Macrophages Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Bibliometric Analysis from 2011 to 2022

Abstract

Purpose

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent respiratory condition characterized by chronic airway inflammation, where macrophages from the innate immune system may exert a pivotal influence. Our study aimed to summarize the present state of knowledge and to identify the focal points and emerging developments regarding macrophages associated with COPD through bibliometrics.

Methods

Publications regarding research on macrophages associated with COPD from January 1, 2011, to January 1, 2022, were retrieved from the Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-E) which is part of the Web of Science database. In total, 1521 publications were analyzed using bibliometric methodology. VOSviewer was used to analyze the annual publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, and research hotspots.

Results

Based on the bibliometric analysis, publications relating to macrophages associated with COPD tended to increase from 2011 to 2022. The United States was the largest producer and most influential country in this field. Research during the past decade has focused on inflammation in the lungs. Most previous studies have mainly focused on the mechanisms that promote the initiation and progression of COPD. Macrophage-related oxidative stress and immunity, communication between macrophages and epithelial cells, and interventions for acute exacerbations have become the focus of more recent studies and will become a hot topic in the future.

Conclusion

Global research on macrophage-associated COPD has been growing rapidly in the past decade. The hot topics in this field gradually tended to shift focus from “inflammation” to “oxidative stress”, “epithelial-cells”, and “exacerbations”. The significance of macrophages in coordinating immune responses, interacting with other cells, and exhibiting dysregulated capacities has attracted increasing attention to COPD pathogenesis. The adoption of new technologies may provide a more promising and comprehensive understanding of the specific role of macrophages in COPD in the future.

Keywords:

• macrophages
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• VOSviewer
• research hotspots
• bibliometrix

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2022-NHLHCRF-LX-01), the Elite Medical Professionals project of China-Japan Friendship Hospital (No. ZRJY2021- BJ08), the Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (No. 2020-PT320-001). Funding information for this article has been deposited with the Crossref Funder Registry.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.