Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets - Volume 25, Issue 5, 2025

A bibliometric study was conducted to gain deeper insights into the current state of research on diabetes and the biological clock (BC).

The study involved a comprehensive search for literature related to diabetes and BC published between 1992 and 2023 in the Web of Science database.

Ninety-five articles were published in 65 journals, with six of these journals not included in the Journal Citation Reports as of 2022. Among the remaining 59 journals, 10 had an impact factor (IF) greater than 10, and 21 had an IF greater than 5. Twenty-nine journals belonged to Quartile 1, while 16 journals were part of Quartile 2. The articles were contributed by researchers from 22 countries, with the Netherlands and the USA being the most prolific contributors. However, the total number of citations for articles from the USA was significantly higher than that of the Netherlands. The co-occurrence analysis of title and abstract keywords primarily focused on investigating the mechanisms of BC. Regarding author keywords and keyword-plus, the co-occurrence analysis centered around diabetes and BC. International collaboration was prominent among developed countries, with the Netherlands, the USA, and France being major participants. Institution-wise cooperation primarily occurred between two research institutions in the Netherlands. In total, the 95 articles received 5,157 citations, averaging 54.28 citations per article.

To foster advancements in this area, more attention and international cooperation are necessary. Emphasizing collaborative efforts can drive the development of novel approaches to manage diabetes and regulate blood glucose levels effectively.

Bone metabolic diseases such as osteoporosis are caused by disruption of the metabolic balance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Thousands of papers have been published on osteoporosis and bone metabolizing cells. The purpose of this study is to draw the publication trend of highly cited literature in this field through bibliometrics and to explore the research hotspot analysis.

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of countries/regions, research institutions, authors, keywords, relevant journals, and references in the field of osteoporosis and bone metabolic cells research, with a specific focus on the theme of “Osteoporosis and bone metabolic cells”. Furthermore, utilizing bibliometric methods, the study aims to offer valuable insights and references for future research endeavors, as well as clinical prevention and treatment strategies in this domain.

The Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database was examined in order to identify articles with high citation counts from 2013 to 31 October 2023. The citation counts, authors, year of publication, source, journal, geographical origin, subject, article type, and level of evidence were further analyzed using the R bibliometric package. The VOSviewer software was utilized to visualize word co-occurrence in a total of 251 articles.

Our search strategy included 251 highly cited articles published between 2013 and 2023 in the field of osteoporosis and bone metabolic cells. The number of publications in this field remains consistently high, indicating ongoing research interest. Notably, the United States has made significant achievements and contributions in this area. Xie Hui, Cao Xu, and Goodman, Stewart are among the main contributors to these advancements. Nature medicine has the highest journal impact factor of 82.9, highlighting its prominence. The journal of bone and mineral research ranks first with 1,322 citations. Keyword research topics in this field include osteoclast differentiation, osteoblast differentiation, and mesenchymal stem cells. Through citation analysis, we found that 195 articles have been cited more than 100 times, demonstrating their significance and impact.

This study analyzed the relationship between osteoporosis and bone metabolic cells using a bibliometric method. The results of these analyses can help researchers gain a more direct and scientific understanding of trends in the field. Additionally, it can provide guidance in identifying hot research directions and offer new ideas for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

The aim of the study was to explore the optimal timing of gonadotropin initiation and the reasonable interval of luteinizing hormone (LH) level in the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-A) protocol.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the LH level in patients with different ovarian response treated in GnRH-A protocol in 1361 IVF/ICSI cycles. Ovarian response (including AMH, AFC) in these patients were divided into the poor ovarian response group (an antral follicle count (AFC) ≤ 6, n = 394), the normal ovarian response group (an AFC > 6 and < 15, n = 570), and the high ovarian response group (an AFC ≥ 15, n = 397), according to the AFC. The patients were sub-grouped according to LH levels on the protocol initiation day, and the clinical outcomes (including dose of Gn initiation, Gn administration days, GnRH-ant administration days, P levels on the HCG day, E2 levels on the HCG day, LH levels on the HCG day, number of embryos transferred, total fertilization rate, embryo implantation rate (%), proportion of 2PN, proportion of good-quality embryos, endometrial thickness on the hCG injection day (mm), moderate to severe OHSS, AFC on the initiation day, proportion of type A endometrium on the hCG injection day, clinical pregnancy rate, biochemical pregnancy rate, early abortion rate, ectopic pregnancy rate) were compared.

On the GnRH-A protocol initiation day, among all patients with different ovarian responses, the body mass index (BMI) in those with an LH ≥ 5 IU/L was lower. The difference of pregnancy outcome between the LH < 5 IU/L group and the LH ≥ 5 IU/L group were not statistically significant among the different ovarian response groups, but the LH < 5 IU/L group had a higher proportion of good-quality embryos (80.3 ± 24.9 vs. 74.8 ± 26.9, P =0.035) than the LH≥5IU/Lgroup in those with poor ovarian response. The total fertilization rate (82.2 ± 18.1 vs 85.4 ± 15.1, P =0.021) and proportion of two pronuclei (2PN) (69.0 ± 20.9 vs 72.7 ± 19.9, P =0.035) were higher in the LH ≥ 5 IU/L group than the LH<5 IU/L group for those with normal ovarian response. The embryo implantation rate (41.4 ± 41.3 vs 52.6 ± 43.4, P =0.012) was higher in the LH ≥ 5 IU/L group than in the LH<5 IU/L group in those with high ovarian response. The results of the multivariate logistic analysis showed that the age of the female partner, number of embryos transferred, proportion of good-quality embryos, endometrial thickness on the hCG injection day, and moderate-to-severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) were independent factors correlated with the outcome of live births (P < 0.05).

The LH levels on the gonadotropins (Gn) initiation day in GnRH-A protocol will not affect pregnancy outcomes.

The study aimed to compare the predictive capabilities of the traditional anthropometric indices with the novel anthropometric indices for incident hypertension.

Some novel anthropometric indices, e.g., the Body Roundness Index (BRI) and A Body Shape Index (ABSI) have been associated with prevalent hypertension. There are a few cohort studies that have examined the association of the novel anthropometric indices with new-onset hypertension in young adults.

This study included 2,448 military male and female young adults, aged 18-39 years, free of hypertension at baseline in Taiwan; they were followed for incidence of hypertension from 2014 till the end of 2020. Blood Pressure (BP) in mmHg was measured twice and averaged to verify hypertension, which was defined as systolic BP ≥130 and/or diastolic BP ≥80 or on antihypertensive medication therapy in each annual health examination. Anthropometric indices included the Body Mass Index (BMI) defined as the weight (kg)/height squared (m²), Waist Girth (WC) in cm, the Waist-to-height Ratio (WHtR), the BRI defined as 364.2 - 365.5 × {1 – [(WC/2π)/(0.5 × height)]²}^0.5, as well as ABSI defined as WC/(BMI^2/3 × height^1/2). Multiple Cox regression analysis and Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver of Operating Characteristics (ROC) were utilized with adjustments for the baseline potential covariates to determine the association and compare the performance of various indices for incident hypertension.

During a median follow-up period of 6.0 years, 920 new-onset hypertension cases (37.6%) developed. Higher BMI, WC, BRI (per each 1-unit increase) and WHtR (per each 0.1-unit increase) were associated with a greater risk of new-onset hypertension (Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals: 1.060 (1.035-1.085), 1.021 (1.011-1.030), and 1.178 (1.077-1.288), respectively), whereas there was no association between ABSI and new-onset hypertension. For the ROC, WC was observed with the greatest AUC for incident new-onset hypertension (0.661 (0.638-0.683)), followed by BMI (0.650 (0.628-0.673)), while the ABSI was found with the lowest AUC (0.544 (0.521-0.568)).

Most of the anthropometric indices were associated with a higher risk of new-onset hypertension among young adults, except for ABSI. In addition, this study has suggested the traditional indices, such as WC and BMI, to be superior to the latest ones, e.g., BRI and ABSI, for the prediction of new-onset hypertension.

Adrenal tuberculosis remains the main cause of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) in tuberculosis (TB)-prevalent regions. This case report details the presentation of PAI due to adrenal TB, where the etiological diagnosis involves Abdominal Computed Tomography (CT).

A 37-year-old Peruvian woman with a history of TB contact displayed symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. PAI diagnosis was established, and CT imaging unveiled bilateral adrenal enlargement with calcifications. Treatment with prednisone and anti-TB therapy led to symptomatic improvement. Unfortunately, she succumbed to pneumonia after ten months of follow-up.

Adrenal TB must be considered in endemic regions and in the presence of a TB history. CT serves as a valuable diagnostic tool, particularly in settings with limited resources, revealing adrenal enlargement and calcifications.

In patients with PAI, epidemiological history of TB, and when a rapid biopsy is not feasible, CT proves to be a valuable diagnostic method.