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Research hotspots and frontiers of machine learning in renal medicine: a bibliometric and visual analysis from 2013
Feng Li1, ChangHao Hu2, Xu Luo3
1School of Nursing, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China.
Background:
The kidney, an essential organ of the human body, can suffer pathological damage that can potentially have serious adverse consequences on the human body and even affect life. Furthermore, the majority of kidney-induced illnesses are frequently not readily identifiable in their early stages. Once they have progressed to a more advanced stage, they impact the individual's quality of life and burden the family and broader society. In recent years, to solve this challenge well, the application of machine learning techniques in renal medicine has received much attention from researchers, and many results have been achieved in disease diagnosis and prediction. Nevertheless, studies that have conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the field have yet to be identified.
Objectives:
This study employs bibliometric and visualization analyses to assess the progress of the application of machine learning in the renal field and to explore research trends and hotspots in the field.
Methods:
A search was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection database, which yielded articles and review articles published from the database's inception to May 12, 2024. The data extracted from these articles and review articles were then analyzed. A bibliometric and visualization analysis was conducted using the VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Bibliometric (R-Tool of R-Studio) software.
Results:
2,358 papers were retrieved and analyzed for this topic. From 2013 to 2024, the number of publications and the frequency of citations in the relevant research areas have exhibited a consistent and notable increase annually. The data set comprises 3734 institutions in 91 countries and territories, with 799 journals publishing the results. The total number of authors contributing to the data set is 14,396. China and the United States have the highest number of published papers, with 721 and 525 papers, respectively. Harvard University and the University of California System exert the most significant influence at the institutional level. Regarding authors, Cheungpasitporn, Wisit, and Thongprayoon Charat of the Mayo Clinic organization were the most prolific researchers, with 23 publications each. It is noteworthy that researcher Breiman I had the highest co-citation frequency. The journal with the most published papers was "Scientific Reports," while "PLoS One" had the highest co-citation frequency. In this field of machine learning applied to renal medicine, the article "A Clinically Applicable Approach to Continuous Prediction of Future Acute Kidney Injury" by Tomasev N et al., published in NATURE in 2019, emerged as the most influential article with the highest co-citation frequency. A keyword and reference co-occurrence analysis reveals that current research trends and frontiers in nephrology are the management of patients with renal disease, prediction and diagnosis of renal disease, imaging of renal disease, and development of personalized treatment plans for patients with renal disease. "Acute kidney injury," "chronic kidney disease," and "kidney tumors" are the most discussed diseases in medical research.
Conclusions:
The field of renal medicine is witnessing a surge in the application of machine learning. On one hand, this study offers a novel perspective on applying machine learning techniques to kidney-related diseases based on bibliometric analysis. This analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the current status and emerging research areas in the field, as well as future trends and frontiers. Conversely, this study furnishes data on collaboration and exchange between countries, regions, institutions, journals, authors, keywords, and reference co-citations. This information can facilitate the advancement of future research endeavors, which aim to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration, optimize data sharing and quality, and further advance the application of machine learning in the renal field.
Insights
Machine learning is increasingly used in renal medicine for disease diagnosis and prediction. This bibliometric analysis maps the field
Area of Science:
- Bibliometric and visualization analysis of machine learning applications in renal medicine.
Background:
- Kidney diseases pose significant health challenges, often detected late.
- Machine learning (ML) shows promise in diagnosing and predicting renal diseases.
- A comprehensive bibliometric analysis of ML in nephrology was lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the progress and trends of ML applications in the renal field.
- To identify research hotspots and collaboration patterns in ML-driven nephrology.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric and visualization analyses were performed on articles from Web of Science Core Collection (up to May 12, 2024).
- Data analysis utilized VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R-Studio's Bibliometric tool.
- 2,358 publications were analyzed, covering institutions, countries, authors, journals, and keywords.
Main Results:
- A significant annual increase in publications and citations from 2013-2024.
- China and the US lead in publications; Harvard University and UC System are influential institutions.
- Key research areas include renal disease management, prediction, diagnosis, imaging, and personalized treatment, with 'acute kidney injury' and 'chronic kidney disease' being prominent topics.
Conclusions:
- The application of ML in renal medicine is rapidly expanding, offering new insights.
- This study provides a comprehensive overview of the field's status, trends, and frontiers.
- Findings facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and advance ML applications in nephrology.
