Abstract:

Objective: To investigate the evolving trends and research hotspots in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) studies in China between 1995 and 2023. Methods: Based on the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) taxonomy and relevant meta-analyses, a comprehensive set of search terms was established, including “multidrug-resistant tuberculosis”, “MDR-TB”, and “MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis”. Literature was systematically retrieved from three major Chinese databases: China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, and the Chinese Medical Journal Network. The search was restricted to journal articles published in Chinese between 1949 and 2023. A total of 2364 relevant publications from 1995 to 2023 were included in the final analysis. Using CiteSpace software, we constructed a scientific knowledge map to examine the structure and evolution of MDR-TB research in China. Analyses were performed across multiple dimensions, including publication trends, journal sources, institutional affiliations, leading authors, collaboration networks, and keyword co-occurrence, to identify the core research themes and emerging hotspots in the field. Results: Between 1995 and 2023, the annual number of Chinese-language publications on MDR-TB demonstrated a significant upward trend (r=0.818, P<0.01), peaking in 2016 and subsequently reaching a plateau. The 2364 included articles were disseminated across 356 journals, of which 20 journals published 20 or more articles. The Chinese Journal of Antituberculosis accounted for the highest number of publications (n=374), followed by the Journal of Clinical Pulmonary Medicine (n=180). In total, 294 institutions contributed to the body of MDR-TB literature, with the Beijing Chest Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, emerging as the leading contributor (n=106). A total of 5623 authors contributed to the body of literature, with the top 20 authors each publishing more than 17 articles. Collaboration analysis revealed a co-authorship network comprising 748 nodes and 1399 links, with a network density of 0.005-substantially lower than the benchmark level of 0.1, indicating relatively weak research collaboration. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified 409 unique keywords connected by 1316 links, yielding a network density of 0.0158. In the clustering time line graph, the Q value was 0.6256, the S value was 0.864, and the cluster labels were: isoniazid, immune function, tuberculosis, combination, tuberculosis, drug resistance, tuberculosis, drug resistance, social support, drug sensitivity test, children. Conclusion: Between 1995 and 2023, research output on MDR-TB in Chinese core journals exhibited a steady upward trajectory. The majority of publications originated from medical and public health institutions, particularly those focused on clinical care and disease prevention. The research focus has shifted from evaluating the therapeutic effects of multiple drugs to interdisciplinary integrated studies such as epidemiology, drug sensitivity testing, and policy research.

Key words: Tuberculosis, multidrug-resistant, Bibliometrics, Journal article