Research and Publication Trends in Pediatric Surgery in Latin America: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis from 2012 to 2021

Scientific evolution of robotic surgery in urogenital diseases: bibliometric analysis

Robotic surgery has revolutionized modern medicine, particularly in urology, by enhancing surgical precision through advanced visualization, motion scaling, and tremor filtration. As a result, robotic-assisted surgery has become the standard of care for complex procedures, such as radical prostatectomy, with demonstrated benefits in reducing complications and improving clinical outcomes. Despite the rapid evolution of this field, no comprehensive bibliometric analysis has systematically evaluated its scientific trajectory, research trends, and international collaboration. A cross-sectional bibliometric study was conducted using Scopus as the primary data source. A semi-structured search strategy incorporating MeSH terms and synonyms was applied to identify publications related to robotic surgery in urogenital diseases. Data were exported, standardized, and analyzed using Bibliometrix (R 4.3.1) for bibliometric and network analyses. A total of 3506 publications (1993-2024) were included, with 79.2% original articles and 11.6% reviews. The United States (n = 1388) led the scientific production, followed by Italy (n = 389) and Japan (n = 285). The research predominantly focused on prostate tumors, clinical outcomes, and surgical complications, while recent trends highlighted growing interest in robot-assisted total cystectomy. The exponential growth of robotic surgery research aligns with its increasing clinical adoption. However, regional disparities persist, emphasizing the need to expand scientific contributions from high-volume surgical centers. Promoting global research collaboration will further consolidate robotic surgery as a fundamental tool in urological practice.

What Has Been Studied About Attitudes and Social Stigma Towards HIV/AIDS? A Global Bibliometric Study with Correlations on Global Health HIV-Related Indicators

Introduction: This study aimed to assess, through health metrics and bibliometric analysis, the global research on attitudes and social stigma of people living with HIV/AIDS and to identify research findings, gaps, and future directions. Methods: A cross-sectional bibliometric study was conducted through a structured search in different databases. Fifteen thousand four hundred and ninety-six documents were found between 1981 and 2024. Results: 83.5% were original articles, and international co-authorship was 30.66%. Since 2000, there has been an increase in research on HIV/AIDS attitudes and social stigma. The United States is the most prolific country worldwide (n = 7837 publications; 50.5%), with the highest number of prolific institutions (n = 4/5), as well as the greatest influence and relevance in research (h-index 170). The most studied topics worldwide are social support and social psychology concerning homosexuality, middle age, and youth in people living with HIV/AIDS. There was no significant correlation between the volume of publications, countries' income levels, and the most prolific geographic regions with adult HIV prevalence, overall HIV incidence and prevalence, or antiretroviral therapy coverage in people living with HIV (p > 0.05 for all cases). Conclusions: Over the past two decades, research has shifted from human rights, legal rights, and ethics to attitudes toward healthcare, with the recent interest in pre-exposure prophylaxis, gender minorities, and intersectional stigma. The absence of strong correlations between publications volume and global health HIV-related indicators underscores the necessity of translating evidence into actionable strategies to reduce stigma and improve health outcomes.

Scientific Output by Latin American Women in Pediatric Surgical Sciences Over the Past 11 Years: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis

INTRODUCTION

This academic article discusses the historical underrepresentation of female in science, with a focus on Latin America. It highlights the importance of both technical and non-technical skills in the medical-surgical field, particularly the role of research skills. The study aims to quantify and characterize the scientific output of Latin American female researchers over the past decade, providing insights into the challenges and opportunities in low and middle-income countries.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional bibliometric study was conducted in 2023, focusing on pediatric surgical science journals in Scopus and PubMed. It assessed Latin American female participation, journal details, and interaction networks, using SPSS and Gephi software. The period analyzed was from January 2012 to December 2022.

RESULTS

Between 2012 and 2022, 727 articles with Latin authorship in pediatric surgery were analyzed across 304 journals. Of these, 63.69% had female co-authors. The majority were original articles (53.13%), with contributions from Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. Notable journals included the Journal of Pediatric Surgery and Child's Nervous System. Keywords like Laparoscopy and Cardiac surgery were common. A growth trend in female Latin American publications was observed, despite temporary declines.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights a growing trend in Latin American females' scientific contributions to pediatric surgery from 2012 to 2022, although a gender gap persists. The research mainly consists of primary data studies, with a focus on Brazil and Mexico from public institutions. The Journal of Pediatric Surgery featured prominently, and common topics included Laparoscopy, Cardiac surgery, Liver transplant, Congenital heart defects, and COVID-19.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Tracing the Scientific Legacy: Bibliometric Analysis of LATAM Research in Bariatric Surgery for 33 Years

INTRODUCTION

Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) has experienced considerable growth, addressing the challenges of obesity and its complications. The lack of a comprehensive bibliometric analysis in Latin America motivates this study, highlighting the need to understand the evolution of research in this area and its impact on clinical decision-making and health policies.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional bibliometric study was carried out using the Scopus database. A structured search strategy was designed to identify articles related to bariatric surgery with authors affiliated with Latin American countries. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, followed by a descriptive and bibliometric analysis of the scientific production found.

RESULTS

A total of 3553 documents published between 1991 and 2024 were included. There was an annual growth of 11%, with an average age of documents of 7.5 years. A concentration was observed in some countries, notably Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. Although scientific output increased, the average number of citations per article showed a downward trend since 2003.

DISCUSSION

Despite the growth in scientific production, the quality and relevance of research is questioned, especially given the decrease in the impact received. It highlights the lack of meaningful regional collaboration, which could limit the sharing of knowledge and resources. Questions are raised about gaps in research capacity and the economic and development implications are discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides valuable information to strengthen future research in bariatric surgery in Latin America. It highlights the importance of promoting regional and international collaboration and improving research training in countries with less participation. Clinical intervention strategies can benefit from better understanding research trends and adopting evidence-based practices in a more informed manner.

Global Research on Centenarians: A Historical and Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis from 1887 to 2023

BACKGROUND

Centenarians are considered the most successful human biological aging model. However, the characteristics and patterns of research among centenarians have not been described or analyzed. Thus, this study aimed to disclose the historical landscape of global research on centenarians.

METHODS

This bibliometric study investigated historical evidence on centenarian research published in the Scopus database. The bibliometrix package in R was used to perform visual and quantitative analyses of research metrics, trends, and patterns.

RESULTS

Of the 2,061 documents included between 1887 and 2023, 84.2% (n=1,736) were published as articles with primary data. We identified international collaboration and annual growth rates of 21.4% and 3.15%, respectively. The United States published the highest number of papers on centenarians (n=786), whereas the publications from Italy had the highest impact (h-index of 90). Based on the frequency of keywords, mortality, genetics, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and immunosenescence are a few of the most studied topics among centenarians, with emerging research related to mitochondrial DNA and comparison of results between nonagenarians and centenarians. Italy, the United States, and China lead the global research collaboration network, collaborating most frequently with Japan and European countries.

CONCLUSION

Global research on centenarians has grown over the last 20 years, primarily led by Italy, the United States, and China. Latin American and African countries have conducted little or no research on centenarians. The most widely studied topics include mortality, cognition, immunosenescence, and genetics.

Historical evolution of cancer genomics research in Latin America: a comprehensive visual and bibliometric analysis until 2023

Background: Cancer genomics, as an interdisciplinary research area within the Global Cancer Research agenda, genomics and precision medicine, its important in research and clinical practice in Latin America. To date, there has been no study investigating evolution of this area in this region. The aim of this study was to evaluate for first time, the historical evolution of cancer genomics research in Latin America. Methods: Bibliometric cross-sectional study of documents on cancer genomics published by Latin American authors until 2023 in Scopus was performed. Statistical and visual analysis was performed with R programming language. Results: A total of 1534 documents were obtained. The first document of cancer genomics research was published in 1997, marking the inception of a 26-year evaluation period that extended until 2023. Among the documents, 74.3% (n = 1140) constituted original articles, followed by 22.7% (n = 349) classified as reviews. International collaboration was observed in 6.5% (n = 100) of the articles. Within the compilation of the ten most prolific authors in this region, 90% of them are from Brazil. This observed pattern extends to affiliations as well, wherein the Universidade de São Paulo emerges as the most active institution (n = 255 documents). This arrangement firmly establishes Brazil's prominence as the preeminent country in the region concerning cancer genomics research, showcasing robust collaboration networks both regionally and intercontinentally. An important transition in the studied hot topics over the last 20 years was identified, from the exploration of the human genome and the characterization of genomic and proteomic cancer profiles (1997-2010) to an in-depth investigation of cancer stem cells and personalized medicine (2011-2023). Among the array of cancer types under study, predominant attention has been directed towards breast, lung, prostate, and leukemia. Conclusion: Over the course of the past 26 years, a favorable and notable evolution has characterized cancer genomics research within Latin America, with Brazil leading the way, which possess a robust network of regional and intercontinental collaboration. Furthermore, the lines of research and hot topics have change in harmony with the region's objectives, strategies, and requisites.

[Latin American research in heart failure: visual and bibliometric analysis of the last 20 years]

Objective

To visually and bibliometrically analyze Latin American research on heart failure in the last 20 years.

Materials and methods

A bibliometric study using the Scopus database. A non-systematic search was carried out to collect data, which were analyzed using Bibliometrix, a tool of the R programming language.

Results

A total of 10204 documents were included in a period between 2003 to 2023. Of these, 66.9% (n=6824) corresponded to original articles, followed by review articles (15.5%; n=1583). International collaboration was present in 38.41% (n=3919) of the articles. Brazil stood out with the highest number of prolific authors and institutions (70% and 60%, respectively), consolidating its position as leader in the region, followed by Argentina and Mexico. These countries also presented the papers with the highest impact and most outstanding metrics.

Conclusions

This study identified a significant increase in heart failure research in Latin America over the last two decades, with Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico being the main drivers of this trend. Extensive and strong collaboration, mainly with high-income countries, appears to be critical to the momentum and the advancement of research in this area. Data systematization and resynchronization therapy are some of the topics of greatest interest at present.