Bibliometric analysis of publication trends in global acupuncture clinical research protocol

Abstract

Background: This bibliometric analysis focused on the acupuncture clinical research protocol to reveal the existing trends and predict the future of acupuncture clinical research. Methods: The WoS database was accessed through the Library of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences on Aug 14, 2017. All records of acupuncture clinical research protocol were included, without limitation of publication years and languages. Results: Finally, 182 records were included, all included protocols were journal articles, and were identified as type of randomized controlled trial (RCT). The number of acupuncture protocols gradually increased to a peak of 30 from 2000 until the middle of 2017; pain was the most commonly studied topic, accounting for 15% of identified protocols, followed by internal diseases including stroke (8.8%), arthritis (7.5%), insomnia (5%), depression (5%), and polycystic ovary syndrome (5%); China (186, 47.2%) was the country responsible for the most published acupuncture protocols; Trials (102, 56%) published the most acupuncture clinical research protocol; Kyung Hee University published the most acupuncture protocols (25, 13.7%). Conclusions: Acupuncture clinical research protocols are gradually valued by researchers in worldwide, increasing number of protocols have been accepted by various academic journals. In addition to RCT protocols, observational research such as cohort study and registry study protocol are needed.