Global research trends in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to analyze the global profi le of the literature in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) research. BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a clinically heterogeneous condition characterized by fat accumulation in the liver and the absence of signifi cant alcohol consumption or underlying genetic disorders. These manifestations are associated with infl ammation, steatosis, and fi brosis that can develop into cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma. However, a study about the research trend in NAFLD has never been reported before. METHODS: The NAFLD bibliometric analysis was performed on articles indexed in the Scopus database from 1973 to 2022. RESULTS: The total number of articles published worldwide is 28,673 documents, with an annual average of 561 documents. The United States generated the most articles (n = 6548), followed by China (n = 6180), Italy (n = 2434), and Japan (n = 2032). Since 2013, the number of publications on NAFLD has increased dramatically worldwide. The popular topics in the fi eld include medicine, biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics, and nursing. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a unique composite picture of NAFLD research worldwide and evaluates research productivity from 1973 to 2022. This fi nding suggests that the prospects for interventions in NAFLD remain promising (Tab. 5, Fig. 4, Ref. 57). © 2023, Bratislava Medical Journal. All Rights Reserved.