Bibliometric analysis of epilepsy research in Pakistan

Abstract

Neurodevelopmental disorders consist of a class of disorders that are characterized by impaired neural functions. Epilepsy is one such disorder which occurs primarily due to a dysfunctional brain motor function. It is a major public health issue that needs immediate attention. The purpose of present study is to utilize bibliometric for the assessment of research output on neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly epilepsy, in Pakistan in the last 20 years. It aims to systematically analyze research productivity, publication pattern and present solutions to the increasing disease burden of epilepsy. Literature search strategy comprised of an appropriate search scheme and guidelines consisting of five development processes; study design, data collection, data analytics, data visualization, and interpretation were followed. Publications related to epilepsy were accessed and Web of Science (WoS) database was used. The retrieved documents were analyzed with several parameters such as; scientific output, institution and author productivity, influential articles, relevant sources and network analysis. It was found that there was a surge in research output, particularly after 2014. In neuroscience research, 17 Pakistani institutions generated more than ten articles with Aga Khan University Hospital being the biggest contributor. Over 4000 authors were active in the field in the designated time span. Amongst them, Wasay M made most contributions while Hayat T had the most citations per article. Global, regional, and national burden of neurological disorders during 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 was identified as the most cited document. 226 journals published almost 800 publications relevant to neuroscience and neurology. Of these, Journal of the Neurological Sciences of the Netherlands published the work of over 30 Pakistani authors. Country collaboration analysis revealed a network between Pakistan and other places such as those in Middle East, Europe, Asia and even North America. The rise in the growth rate of research publications in neuroscience in the past 20 years is appreciable. In addition, active author and institutional participation demonstrate the increasing interest in the relevant field. Future contributions, both with national and international collaborations, should be encouraged so as to reduce the disease burden and improve the quality of the provided epilepsy services.