Global Research Trends on Tuberculosis: A Bibliometric and Visualized Study of Clinical Trials

Tuberculosis stands as a prominent global infectious disease, ranking among the leading causes of mortality. Its complex pathogenesis and significant resistance to existing treatments have made the eradication of this disease challenging. Over the 20th century and into the present, numerous endeavors have been undertaken to comprehensively understand various aspects of this disease and find a proper solution to this challenge. This scientometric study employs the content analysis method to provide an overview of existing clinical trials in the tuberculosis field. We conducted a comprehensive review using the World Health Organization Clinical Trials Registry database, covering studies registered between 1998 and 2021. A total of 1,590 tuberculosis-related clinical trials were registered across global clinical trial registries through the end of 2021. Significant joint initiatives were observed, notably between South Africa and India (53 studies), South Africa and Peru (47 studies), and South Africa and Uganda (40 studies). There was a predominant focus on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) diseases (14.15% of trials). Pulmonary tuberculosis with 316 (19.87%) trials and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis with 92 (5.76%) trials were the most evaluated topics. Drug-based interventions led with 942 studies (58.25), and Isoniazid was evaluated in 261 trials (16.42%).

Scientometric analyses provide valuable insights into research trends across diverse fields, helping researchers identify knowledge gaps and guide future investigations. The steadily increasing annual registration of clinical trials, together with persistent gaps in our understanding of tuberculosis pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment, and the substantial global burden of disease, underscores the need for continued research in this field.