Evolution of antimicrobial stewardship in pneumonia management: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis

Objectives

This comprehensive bibliometric analysis explores the evolving trends in antimicrobial stewardship programs for enhancing treatment and diagnostics of pneumonia from 2006 to 2023.

Materials and methods

This research included a performance analysis and science mapping using RStudio v.4.3.1 and the bibliometric R-package, with a data analysis conducted using Biblioshiny and Scopus. The study identified publication trends, prolific journals, leading institutions and authors, collaboration patterns, and keyword frequencies.

Results

The study, based on 789 relevant studies from 287 sources, reveals a substantial increase in publications, collaborative authorship, and citations, with an average of 14.37 citations per document. The Annual Growth Rate for this research domain exhibits a steady increase of 30.13%, emphasizing the expanding scope of research output. Twelve key journals are identified using Bradford's Law with “Antibiotics” being the most prolific, contributing 6.5% of the total articles during the study period. Leading institutions in this research domain include the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences and the University of Cape Town, each with 21 articles, reflecting their commitment. Dr. S.E. Cosgrove emerges as a key author with eight contributions, followed by other influential contributors. The United States leads in the number of publications, with Italy and Spain following closely. The analysis reveals a concentration of research output in high-income countries, raising questions about accessibility and research capabilities in lower-income nations. Addressing these disparities is crucial for comprehensive global strategies in pneumonia management. The study acknowledges limitations, such as database selection and language bias.

Conclusion

The research trends in antimicrobial stewardship for pneumonia treatment and diagnostics demonstrate a global increase in scholarly output. These findings provide valuable insights into collaborative networks, influential authors, leading institutions, and emerging topics.