Global trends and advances in pediatric bronchiolitis treatment in the last two decades: a bibliometric analysis.

BACKGROUND

Bronchiolitis, a leading respiratory disease in infants, causes substantial global morbidity. This is the first study to employ bibliometric analysis to explore global trends and progress in pediatric bronchiolitis treatment, addressing a previously unexamined gap.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection on January 31, 2025, encompassing publications between 2004 and 2024. The bibliometric analysis utilized VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix" for data visualization, network analysis, and the identification of research hotspots.

RESULTS

A total of 1,370 articles were included in this study. The United States emerged as the leading contributor with 403 articles, followed by China [101] and the United Kingdom [79]. The most prolific institutions included Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris and Harvard University. Notable journals such as Pediatrics and Pediatric Pulmonology were identified as key platforms for high-impact authors, with prominent figures such as Babl Franz E. making substantial contributions to the field. Keyword analysis indicated five thematic clusters, including risk stratification-based therapy, anti-respiratory syncytial virus therapy, respiratory support, clinical-practice guideline, and clinical trials. Emerging topics included "epidemiology", "prevention", "infections", "oxygen therapy", and "guideline", which were more prominently featured in recent years.

CONCLUSIONS

Research on pediatric bronchiolitis over the past 20 years has focused on optimizing treatment, particularly respiratory support, anti-respiratory syncytial virus therapy, and guideline-based care. Emerging trends emphasize prevention, infection control, and high-quality clinical trials to improve patient outcomes.