Mapping the Scientific Landscape Between Respiratory Conditions and Costs: A Bibliometric Analysis

Introduction: The objective of the present study was to systematically explore the scientific literature to examine the relationship between respiratory diseases and economic cost. The research question focused on identifying the thematic, methodological, and temporal trends that link these two scientific fields. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed database using the terms "Pulmonology OR respiratory" AND "Cost", which returned 30,274 publications from 1921 up to April 2025. For the bibliometric review, VOSviewer software was used to create bibliometric maps through the tools of network, overlay, and density visualization. Results: The analysis revealed six clusters, which include clinical prognosis, pandemics, pharmacoeconomics, epidemiology, chronic conditions, and health services research. After 2010, there was a particularly important increase in academic research related to pulmonology and cost, with this rise being especially evident during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies have increasingly focused on cost-effectiveness, quality of life, hospitalization, and multimorbidity. Discussion: The scientific field of respiratory conditions is undergoing a substantial transformation, shifting from traditional clinical descriptions to an interdisciplinary framework that incorporates economic evaluation. This evolution highlights the need for strategies based on economically informed decisions and effective public health policy making. The term "economic cost" in this study refers to both direct costs (e.g., hospitalization and treatment) and indirect economic impacts, such as resource allocation and healthcare burden. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that research linking respiratory diseases and economic cost is expanding rapidly, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, and is characterized by interdisciplinary approaches that combine clinical, epidemiological, and economic perspectives. This trend underlines the importance of integrating cost-effectiveness considerations into respiratory healthcare policies and highlights the need for collaborative strategies to ensure sustainable and efficient health systems.