A Global Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis in The State of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Efflux Pump Research
Abstract OBJECTIVE. This study was designed with the goal of surveying the current status of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pump research field in an effort to explore current and future trends in this clinically relevant research area. METHODS. Bibliometric and visual analyses were used to conduct a global survey of the current status of Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pump research. All studies regarding Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux that were published from 1994 to 2019 were retrieved from the Web of Science database, after which we conducted bibliographic coupling, co-authorship, co-citation, and co-occurrence analyses, and analyzed trends in Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pump research publications using the VOS Viewer software. RESULTS. We identified 2583 total publications that were included in this study. The number of relevant studies from around the world was found to be rising over time. The USA was identified as a central player in this research field at a global level, as studies from the USA had the most citations, the highest H-index values, and the greatest total link strength. Three primary research directions were identified through this analysis, including studies of efflux pump resistance mechanisms, transfer mechanisms, and inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS. Our visual analysis provides a quantitative overview for researchers who wish to quickly understand the past and current dynamics of the field of Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pump research. Overall, these findings suggest that future studies of efflux pump resistance mechanisms and efflux pump inhibitors may aid in overcoming clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance.