A scientometric study on research trends and characteristics of Kimura disease

Kimura disease (KD) is an idiopathic condition that presents as a chronic, benign inflammatory disorder, typically affecting the head and neck region. The purpose of this study was to analyze the scientometric characteristics and research trends of KD.

All the papers on KD were comprehensively retrieved from the Scopus database. The years of publication were divided into before 2012 and after 2012 in the analysis of research trends.

There were 925 papers on KD, with total citations of 10,821 and the h index of 47. Eosinophilia, lymphadenopathy, nephrotic syndrome, angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia, swelling, pruritus, proteinuria, eosinophilic granuloma, hypereosinophilia, subcutaneous nodule, asthma, edema, membranous glomerulonephritis were KD-related conditions. The trend of investigations has changed to CD20 antigen, creatinine, cheek, excisional biopsy, diagnostic imaging, positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT), abscess, erythema, membranous glomerulonephritis, IgG4 related disease, exophthalmos, hypertension, and complication after 2012. The trend of treatment has changed to adrenal cortex hormones, methylprednisolone, mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, cetirizine, monoclonal antibody, dupilumab, and drug withdrawal after 2012. There have always been common keywords such as pathology, immunoglobulin blood level, IgE, IgG, interleukin-4, eosinophil count, computer assisted tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, cervical lymph node, and head and neck.

This scientometric study for the first time elucidated the current scenario and research trends of KD, and would help in improving in reciprocal collaboration and communication for investigations on this disease.