Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Research over the Past Decade: Current Status and Trends

Area of Science:

• Microbiology and Gastroenterology
• Biomedical Research
• Data Science and Bibliometrics

Background:

• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a significant research area with a substantial increase in publications over the last decade.
• Bibliometric analysis is employed to map the research landscape, identify key themes, and predict future trends in FMT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a bibliometric analysis of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) research.
• To identify significant themes, influential publications, and future research directions in the field of FMT.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive search of FMT publications from 2012 to 2021 was performed using the Web of Science (SCI-Expanded) database.
• Bibliometric and visualization tools including Bibliometrix in R, Microsoft Office Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were utilized for data analysis.

Main Results:

• A total of 2,931 papers were analyzed, demonstrating a consistent growth trend in FMT research from 2012 to 2021.
• China and the United States were the most prolific countries, while Harvard University, Udice French Research Universities, and the University of California System were leading institutions.
• Key research areas included FMT mechanisms, applications in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), metabolic and neurological disorders, and psychiatric conditions.

Conclusions:

• Bibliometric analysis provides a clear understanding of the current status and emerging trends in global FMT research.
• The findings offer valuable insights for clinicians and researchers to navigate and contribute to the rapidly advancing field of FMT.