Trends of nonalcoholic fatty liver research in Southeast Asia from 2004 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

With a 25–30% prevalence worldwide, the burden of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) continues to increase. Southeast Asia has the greatest prevalence of NAFLD in Asia, estimated to be 29% overall. This paper aims to determine the characteristics and trends of published NAFLD studies in SEA countries. We systematically reviewed the literature using the Scopus database and obtained pertinent bibliographic and citation information. Visualization of collaboration networks of countries and keywords related to NAFLD was conducted using VOSviewer software. This bibliometric analysis shows that research on NAFLD is increasing in SEA but varies among countries. Singapore is the most productive country in NAFLD research, followed by Malaysia and Thailand. The majority of papers were published in journals based outside Asia. The study's emergent themes include probiotics, epigenetics, cardiovascular disease, diagnostics, treatment, genetics-related risk factors, and comorbidities. Research productivity in NAFLD and collaborations vary within and outside the region among different countries and is influenced by socioeconomic factors.