Knowledge Mapping of Opioids and Immunomodulation: A Bibliometric Analysis (2000-2022)

Area of Science:

• * **Immunology and Pharmacology:** Investigating the complex interactions between opioid substances and the immune system.
• * **Bibliometrics and Scientometrics:** Employing quantitative analysis to map research trends and collaborations in a scientific field.

Background:

• * Growing evidence highlights the significant influence of opioids on immune system function.
• * Despite this, bibliometric analyses specifically examining opioid immunomodulation are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on the influence of opioids on immunomodulation.
• * To identify key trends, influential publications, and collaboration networks within this research area.

Main Methods:

• * Systematic retrieval of articles published between 2000 and 2022 from the Web of Science Core Collection.
• * Utilized keywords related to opioids and immunomodulation.
• * Bibliometric analysis and visualization performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software.

Main Results:

• * 3,242 articles published by 16,555 authors across 3,368 institutions in 102 countries/regions.
• * The United States and China led in publications; key institutions included the University of Minnesota System and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
• * Research predominantly focused on molecular, biological, and genetic aspects, with keywords like "expression," "activation," and "inflammation" being prominent.

Conclusions:

• * A substantial global increase in studies on opioid immunomodulation over the past two decades.
• * This study provides the first comprehensive bibliometric overview and collaboration network analysis in the field.
• * Findings offer insights into knowledge structure, potential collaborations, and emerging research directions.