Bibliometric analysis of bacterial central nervous system infection research in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Background The status of research and scientific outputs with regards to bacterial central nervous system (CNS) infection in southeast Asia (SEA) is unknown. This study aimed to analyze and compare bacterial CNS infection research output of SEA countries in terms of bibliometric indices. Methods The major electronic databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, CENTRAL, Clinicaltrials.gov and WPRIM) were searched for studies on bacterial CNS infection in SEA until August 31, 2020. Frequencies, percentages and Spearman’s rho correlations were used. Results There was a total of 648 unique studies on bacterial CNS infection in SEA and it was 657 when double-counted (collaborative studies between SEA countries). Thailand (n=148, 22.5%) and Vietnam (n=142, 21.6%) had the highest number of publications. The most common type of research publication was the case report / case series (n=160, 24.7%). Tuberculous meningitis/tuberculoma (n=176, 26.7%) was the most common topic. This study showed that the %GDP for research and development (R&D) was associated with a higher number of research output. However, the GDP per capita was not associated with any of the bibliometric indices. The total number of neurologists was associated with all of the bibliometric analysis. Conclusion Bacterial CNS infection research output in SEA countries was low in terms of quantity. The %GDP for R&D was associated with the number of research publications. The total number of neurologists was associated with all of the bibliometric indices.

Associations of motor neuron disease research productivity and socioeconomic factors in Southeast Asia: a bibliometric analysis

“…The correlation between economic variables and scientific productivity has also been demonstrated in research on other disease conditions: GDP and respiratory disease research output 31 ; GDP and gastric cancer research productivity 32 ; GDP and public health research output 33 ; GDP and transplant research 34 ; and GDP and scientific output on cerebrovascular rehabilitation 35 . In SEA, this trend was consistently manifested in other bibliometric studies comparing research productivity relating to other neurological diseases and economic indices: multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder 36 , dementia 37 , cerebrovascular diseases 38 , movement disorders 39 , bacterial central nervous system infection 40 and primary brain tumors 41 . The nature of causality in this correlation, however, should be carefully considered.…”

A Bibliometric Analysis on Viral Central Nervous System Infection Research Productivity in Southeast Asia

“…Of these 542 articles, 466 or 86% have been published in journals with IF. As with other bibliometric studies on other neurological conditions in SEA, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand have the greatest contribution to the research output of the region [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. More than 80% of publications from these countries were published in journals with IF.…”

Current status and challenges in the care of patients with bacterial meningitis in the Philippines: A scoping review

“…There is a paucity of indexed research outputs on BM and TBM from the Philippines. The most recent article regarding this topic was a bibliometric analysis of bacterial CNS infection research in SEA [17]. Among countries in SEA, there was a total of 648 research outputs on bacterial CNS infection over a period of 35 years, and among these, only 83 studies (12.5%) originated from the Philippines.…”

“…Among countries in SEA, there was a total of 648 research outputs on bacterial CNS infection over a period of 35 years, and among these, only 83 studies (12.5%) originated from the Philippines. In terms of topics, 47 studies were conducted on BM (gram-positive, gram-negative and mixed organism), 16 were on TBM, with the remainder on tetanus, neurosyphilis and brain abscess [17]. In addition to case series and case reports, several cohort studies were also published on the incidence of BM [18][19][20] and TBM [21] among paediatric patients.…”