The Top 100 Most Cited Articles on Intrauterine Adhesion: a Bibliometric Analysis

Pan Gu,Dabao Xu,Waixing Li,Xingping Zhao

doi:10.1007/s43032-021-00794-x

Abstract

Bibliometric analysis is a statistical method that attempts to assess articles by their citations, analyzing their frequency and citation pattern, which subsequently gleans direction and guidance for future research. Over the past few years, articles focused on intrauterine adhesions have been published with increasing frequency. Nevertheless, little is known about the properties and qualities of this research, and no current analysis exists that has examined the progress in intrauterine adhesion research. Web of Science Core Collection, BIOSIS Citation Index, and MEDLINE database were searched to identify articles on intrauterine adhesion published from 1950 to October 2020. The 100 most cited articles were chosen to analyze citation count, citation density, authorship, theme, geographic distribution, time-related flux, level of evidence, and network analysis. An overwhelming majority of these 100 articles were published in the 2010s (35%). Citations per article ranged from 30 to 253. Chinese authors published the most papers in the top 100, followed by the USA, France, Israel, and Italy. The most salient study themes included operative hysteroscopy and adjunctive treatments for improving reproductive outcomes. The most common level of evidence was level II, and there was no statistical difference in the number of citations between the levels. The network analysis indicated that hysteroscopy, hysteroscopic adhesiolysis, infertility, and the reproductive outcome had a great degree of centrality in the 2000s and 2010s. In comparison, placental implantation had a great degree of centrality in the 2000s, and stem cell and fibrosis had a great degree of centrality in the 2010s. The value of IUA investigation has been gradually appreciated recently. Hysteroscopic adhesiolysis was continuously explored to achieve better reproductive outcome. Over time, the main focus of research has gradually shifted from complications to postoperative adjuvant treatment. Moreover, breakthrough progress is needed in underlying mechanism and early prevention of IUA.

Highlights

Pan Gu and Waixing Li contributed to this work Key MessageAs articles focused on intrauterine adhesion (IUA) have recently been published with increasing frequency, our study aimed to evaluate the properties and qualities of these studies through bibliometric analysis.Department of Gynecology, Third Xiangya Hospital, CentralSouth University, 138 Tongzipo Road, Changsha 410013, Hunan, ChinaIntrauterine adhesion (IUA) was first defined and reported by Asherman in 1950 [1, 2]
The year 2008 saw the highest number of these IUA articles published (n=7)
Several interesting findings can be drawn from this analysis of the top 100 most cited papers published on IUA

Summary

Introduction

As articles focused on intrauterine adhesion (IUA) have recently been published with increasing frequency, our study aimed to evaluate the properties and qualities of these studies through bibliometric analysis. Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) was first defined and reported by Asherman in 1950 [1, 2]. IUA is caused by mechanical injury or damage from infection to the basal layer of the endometrium, resulting in the formation of fibromuscular or severe connective tissue adhesion of the uterine cavity or cervical canal [3, 4]. IUA remains a relatively intractable disease that seriously affects women’s reproductive prognosis and quality of life in childbearing age [6, 10]. Surgical treatment is the first choice for IUA. Hysteroscopic adhesiolysis, the standard treatment for IUA, confers limited therapeutic benefit [11].

Methods

Results

Conclusion