Research hotspots and trends analysis of ankylosing spondylitis: a bibliometric and scientometric analysis from 2009 to 2018

BACKGROUND: This study utilized bibliometric analysis to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze hotspots and predict trends in the field of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) research. METHODS: Articles about AS were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed database, and bibliometric analysis was carried out through CiteSpace and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology and Bibliographic Item Co-Occurrence Matrix Builder (BICOMB). Then, co-word biclustering analysis was conducted to obtain research hotspots and predict trends using gCLUTO software. RESULTS: A total of 6,818 articles on AS from 2009 to 2018 were analyzed, showing an increasing publication trend (558 articles in 2009 to 851 articles in 2018). The Journal of Rheumatology was the leading journal in AS research, with an impact factor (IF) of 3.634 and H-index value of 49. In terms of region, the United States led the world in this field, and The University of Toronto was the leading institution for AS research. Van Der Heijde, D was the most prolific author in the field. Eight research hotspots in the field of AS were also identified. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis identified eight research hotspots, and predicted that surgical treatment and etiology will be the main AS research trends in the future. This study provides new directions and ideas for future research in AS.