Knowledge mapping of cell therapy in rheumatoid arthritis disease: a bibliometric analysis (2003-2023)

Abstract

Abstract Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune joint disease characterized by persistent synovitis and systemic inflammation of the joints. Cell therapy, a cellular drug delivery therapy based on the control of immune dysregulation, inflammatory cytokine production, and overall systemic inflammation, is expected to reverse the process of joint destruction when applied to RA. Based on this, the field of cell therapy applied to RA treatment has been gaining attention in recent years and many results have been achieved. Bibliometric analysis can provide insight into the development of a field. This study aims to provide an overview of the knowledge structure and research hotspots of cell therapy in RA through bibliometrics. Method: The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database was used to search the literature on cellular therapies related to RA between 2003 and 2023. VOSviewers, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrics" were used to perform the bibliometric analysis. Results: This article includes 9341 articles from 107 countries, mainly from China and the United States. Fluctuating growth in the number of articles published on cell therapy applied to RA. The University of Amsterdam, Harvard University, Karolinska Institutet, and Stanford University are the main research institutions. The journal Arthritis Research & Therapy is the most popular journal in the field, and the journal Annals of Rheumatic Diseases is the most frequently cited. 44914 authors have published in this field, including more collaborative publications; Tak and Emery have published several papers, while Arnett Fc is the author of most frequently cited paper. The University of Amsterdam has been extensively involved in the publication of papers on this topic. France scientists have published fewer relevant papers as corresponding authors, but have been extensively involved in the investigation of this topic. The thematic analysis identified five research themes. The themes relate to monoclonal antibody therapy, tumour necrosis factor-alpha inhibitor therapy, gene and mesenchymal stem cell therapy, targeted immune cell and cytokine therapy, conventional therapy and novel therapy. Conclusion: This article is the first bibliometric study that comprehensively summarizes the research trends and their developments in the application of cell therapy to the treatment of RA. The content includes recent research results and hot directions in the field, providing reference information for scholars studying cell therapy and RA.