Abstract
BACKGROUND: Spinal tuberculosis (TB), also known as Pott's spine, remains a significant global health issue, particularly in regions with a high TB burden. The disease presents complex challenges in diagnosis, management, and treatment, prompting a growing interest in research over recent years. The advancements in imaging, diagnostics, and treatment strategies have driven an increased focus on publishing clinical outcomes, review articles, and case series related to spinal TB (STB). AIM: To perform a bibliometric analysis of STB research published over the last 5 years (2019-2023) to identify trends in publication volume, contributions by country, and the nature of the research being conducted. METHODS: A comprehensive bibliometric analysis was conducted using the PubMed database, focusing on research articles published between 2019 and 2023. Keywords such as "spine tuberculosis," "spinal TB," "TB spine," and "Pott's spine" were utilized to capture relevant publications. Articles were analyzed based on the type of research (e.g., case reports, review articles, cohort studies, randomized controlled trials [RCTs]), number of citations, and country of origin based on the corresponding author's details. Further subgroup analysis was performed according to the TB burden in various countries to assess research trends in high-burden regions. RESULTS: A total of 528 articles met the inclusion criteria for this bibliometric analysis. The majority of articles were published between 2020 and 2023 (440/528; 83.3%), while the lowest number was published in 2019 (88/528; 16.7%). India led the global contributions with 25.8% of the total publications, followed by China (19.9%) and the United States (10.4%). Combined, African countries contributed 6.8% of the research on STB. Regarding the type of articles, case reports and case series dominated the literature (353/528; 66.9%), followed by review articles (120/528; 22.7%) and cohort studies (45/528; 8.5%). Only 1.9% (10/528) of the studies were RCTs. Countries such as the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan have pioneered the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the diagnostic processes for STB, while India, China, South Africa, and other countries have been pivotal in conducting clinical trials and improving clinical management strategies. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis revealed a significant increase in STB research over the last 5 years, with India and China being the leading contributors. However, most publications are case reports or case series, with a limited number of RCTs. The results highlighted the need for more high-quality research, especially in terms of RCTs and innovations in diagnostic technologies. Additionally, the application of AI to STB diagnostics shows promise in developed countries, while high-burden countries are focusing on clinical trials and management strategies.