Exploring the nutritional landscape and emerging trends in kidney stone research: visualization and bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background Kidney stones, or renal nephrolithiasis, are common and dangerous, increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease. Dietary manipulation is essential for the prevention and recurrence of kidney stones. Research into nutrition and kidney stones lacks library analysis, making it difficult to identify new trends. This bibliometric study was conducted to explore the current landscape of research on nutrition and kidney stones worldwide. This paper also emphasizes significant research trends in this area over the past two decades, aiming to assist researchers in understanding the current research status and identifying potential future directions. Methods The scholarly literature pertaining to diet and kidney stones was systematically explored utilizing SciVerse Scopus to identify pertinent research articles released from 2003 to 2022. The examination encompassed an assessment of publication patterns, key contributors, focal areas of research, prevalent themes, influential articles, and emerging research avenues. Following data extraction to Excel, analyses, including frequencies, percentages, and linear regression, were conducted. Visual exploration was facilitated through the use of the VOSviewer program version 1.6.19. Results Between 2003 and 2022, 697 publications on nutrition and kidney stones were identified. There were 478 original articles (68.58%), 120 reviews (17.22%) and 99 other types of publications (14.20%). The United States is the most productive country, with significant growth in research in the fields of nutrition and kidney stones. The United States has demonstrated the strongest partnerships between researchers’ networks from various countries. Cluster analysis revealed three major research themes: sex differences in kidney stone disease, the correlation between increased dietary acid consumption and calcium oxide kidney stones, and nephrolithiasis associated with a ketogenic diet. Conclusions This study offers a thorough examination of nutrition and kidney stone research, encompassing key research domains, collaborative networks, and emerging patterns. The findings can aid researchers in gaining insight into the present landscape of the discipline and determining future research directions.