Mapping the Muscle Mass: A Birds-Eye View of Sarcopenia Research Through Bibliometric Network Analysis

Abstract

Sarcopenia, characterized by progressive age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, has emerged as an impending public health threat. This bibliometric analysis elucidates the knowledge landscape of sarcopenia research by synthesizing growth trajectories, collaborative networks, and intellectual structures within the literature. Scientific publications spanning 1993–2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and ScientoPy software tools facilitated visualization and analysis of bibliometric trends. Results showed that after a seminal 2010 consensus definition paper, sarcopenia publications increased over 20-fold by 2021, following an initial gradual growth and then exponential expansion. China led in output volume; however, Western nations exhibited higher international collaboration. Prolific institutions clustered within Asia and Europe, although Australian and Canadian centers were also represented, reflecting expanding global networks. Core journals were dispersed across clinical medicine, gerontology, and nutrition. A co-occurrence network analysis of keywords delineated three predominant research domains: physical disability, muscle diagnostic metrics, and clinical prognostic outcomes. Keywords like “mobility” in the disability domain reflect sarcopenia's functional impacts. This novel perspective comprehensively maps sarcopenia's evolving knowledge landscape, despite limitations in incorporating citations and text mining. Practical contributions include identifying key areas for further research, including consolidating diagnostic methods through collaborative initiatives, exploring lifestyle interventions, and investigating sarcopenia across diverse specialties. By elucidating trends in growth, collaboration, and intellectual structure, this analysis offers data-driven perspectives to strategically combat this expanding public health challenge. The synthesis of publication trends provides both a novel scientometric perspective and practical insights to inform future sarcopenia research and guide public health policy.