Trends in erectile dysfunction research from 2008 to 2018: a bibliometric analysis

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Andrology
• Reproductive Medicine

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects millions globally, with projections indicating a significant increase by 2025.
• Decades of research exist, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of scientific output to identify trends and hotspots.
• Understanding the landscape of ED research is crucial for future advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global scientific publications on erectile dysfunction (ED) from 2008 to 2018.
• To identify dominant journals, countries, institutions, authors, and emerging research frontiers in ED.
• To map the trends and hotspots in ED research over the specified decade.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of 8,880 ED research papers published between 2008 and 2018.
• Data sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection.
• Analysis performed using CiteSpace IV and Excel 2016, examining journals, countries, institutions, authors, citations, and keywords.

Main Results:

• The Journal of Sexual Medicine published the most articles.
• The United States led in publication volume, H-index, and ESI top papers.
• "Oxidative stress" emerged as the top research frontier, with vardenafil and late-onset hypogonadism also identified as key areas.

Conclusions:

• Global ED research output remained stable between 2008 and 2018.
• The United States continues to be the dominant force in ED research.
• Emerging research frontiers such as oxidative stress, vardenafil, and late-onset hypogonadism warrant increased attention.