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Background: Diabetes is a common co-morbid condition that influences morbidity and mortality in patients with COVID-19 and has been a focus of intense research. However, a systematic assessment of global diabetes research concerning COVID-19 is unavailable. Aim: We aimed to provide a bibliometric assessment of research output on diabetes concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: Publications on diabetes in relation to COVID-19 were retrieved from the Scopus database and analyzed using appropriate bibliometric indicators. Results: The publications indexed till January 6, 2021 numbered 762. The share of the top 10 of the 82 countries was 90.6%. The USA, China, India, Italy, and the UK were the most productive countries, with publication share ranging from 11.4% to 17.8%. Brazil, China, Germany, Australia, France, and India registered higher publication impact. The average citations per paper were 7.3, and 19.4% of the publications were funded. The share of publications on type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and gestational diabetes was 23.2%, 16.5%, and 4.1%, respectively. Diabetic complications, clinical studies, and epidemiology were the most researched aspects of diabetes concerning COVID-19, with 47.9%, 23.3%, and 14.0% share, respectively. Publications on pathophysiology numbered only 93 (12.2%). The most productive organizations were Tongji Medical College, China, Huazhong University, China, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, India, and INSERM, France. Obesity and Cholesterol Foundation, India, Imperial College, UK, and The Central Hospital of Wuhan, China were the most impactful organizations. R. Pal, A. Ceriello, and B. Cariou were the most productive authors, whereas A. Misra, R. Gupta, and A.K. Singh were the most impactful. The most active journals were Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews, Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, and Diabetes Care. Conclusion: Extensive high-quality research has been conducted on diabetes in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic in developed and developing countries. There is a need to focus on pathophysiological studies to elucidate further the underlying mechanisms that predispose COVID-19-affected diabetes patients to severe disease and death. Our scientometric assessment may help understand the research gaps and guide future research in this field.
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Background: The Covid-19-related diabetes research is confined mainly to type 2 diabetes. Although type 1 diabetes (T1D) which presents unique challenges in Covid-19, appears to be well-researched, a bibliometric assessment of this research is lacking. Materials and Methods: Using a defined search procedure, we identified publications on Covid-19-related T1D research in Elsevier's Scopus database during 2020-2021. The data was analyzed using appropriate bibliometric tools. Results: The publications numbered 255 until August 4, 2021. Seventy-three (28.6%) were funded;these received higher average citations than non-funded (19.0 versus 9.8). The share of publications by age group was as follows: adults (36.8%), children (34.9%), adolescents (27.0%), middle-aged (15.7%), and elderly (10.6%). Sixty-nine countries participated;the USA, Italy, and UK led in productivity, whereas Canada, UK, and Italy were the most impactful. Barbara Davis Center, USA, University of Colorado, USA, and King's College London, UK were the most productive, whereas the University of Glasgow, UK, PGIMER-Chandigarh, India, and Barbara Davis Center, USA were the most impactful organizations. USA's Q. Ebekozien and Italy's C. Maffeis and R. Schiaffini led in productivity, whereas Italy's A. Avogaro and India's S. Bhadada and R. Pal led in impact. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice and Diabetes Care were the leading journals. Only 12 (4.7%) publications were highly-cited. Conclusion: Covid-19-related T1D research has primarily been conducted in high-income countries such as the USA, UK, and Italy. There is a need to foster collaboration between high-income and low-income countries for further research to develop better management strategies for worldwide patients with the double scourge of T1D and Covid-19.
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Background: Several studies have examined Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and the effects of vitamin D therapy in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). However, a bibliometric assessment of research output on VDD in relation to Covid-19 is unavailable. Materials and Methods: We searched Elsevier's Scopus database for publications on VDD in Covid-19 using a defined search strategy. Data pertaining to the growth of publications, citation metrics, the most active countries, institutions, authors, journals, and the most cited articles, were analyzed using appropriate bibliometric tools. Mapping of keywords was done to identify the research trends. Results: Of 435 global publications on VDD in Covid-19, 187 (42.9%) were original articles. The total and average citations per paper (CPP) were 5664 and 13.0, respectively. Eighty-eight (20.2%) publications were funded;the National Institute of Health, USA, was the leading funding agency (n=18). Seventy-four countries participated in research on this theme;the USA and Italy with 18.3% and 16.5% led in productivity, whereas Ireland and the USA were the most impactful. The most dominant research topic was "Risk Factors" with 29.6% share, followed by "Epidemiology" (27.3%), "Complications" (26.4%), "Clinical studies" (24.8%), and "Pathophysiology" (17.2%), only 14.0% studies were on "Treatment". The research patient populations were "Adults", "Aged," and "Middle-Aged," with 24.1%, 21.6%, and 17.7% share, respectively;only 6.4% studies involved children. The organizations and authors numbered 254 and 383, respectively;Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, and Harvard Medical School, USA, were the most productive, whereas St. James's Hospital, Ireland, and University Hospital Brigham, UK were the most impactful. Belgium's Delanghe and Ireland's Kenny were the top productive authors, and Grant (USA) and Laird (Ireland) were the most influential. Journal of Medical Virology and Endocrine lead productivity while Aging Clinical and Experimental Research and Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Review lead in impact. Conclusion: The research on VDD in relation to Covid-19 has primarily been conducted in high-income countries, with the USA, Italy, and UK accounting for almost 50% of total publication output. The research gaps appear to be treatmentrelated aspects and VDD in children with Covid-19. Our assessment of the current status of research on VDD in Covid-19 may help the research community and policy-makers to prioritize research needs in this field.
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Introduction: A bibliometric assessment of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)-related thyroid research is unavailable. Materials and Methods: We searched Elsevier's Scopus database for publications on Covid-19 and thyroid disease up to August 18, 2021, using a predefined search strategy. The data were analyzed by publication characteristics, the most active countries, institutions, authors, journals, citations, and research trends. Results: The global publications totaled 599;446 (74.4%) were original articles. Only 18.0% (108) were funded, but these received higher citations per paper (CPP) than the non-funded publications (average CPP 14.8 versus 9.8). Of the 97 countries that participated in the research, the USA, Italy, India, and China were the most productive, whereas China, Germany, UK, and the USA were the most impactful. The studied patient population groups were "Adults" (50.5%), "Middle-Aged" (33.7%), "Aged" (29.3%), "Children" (7.8%), and "Adolescents" (6.5%). The research organizations and authors numbered 272 and 404, respectively. The most productive organizations were Universita Degli Studi Napoli, Italy, Harvard Medical School, USA, and Universita Degli Studi Milano, Italy. The most productive authors were G. Troncone, L. Glovanella, and G. Anedda. The top productive journals were Endocrine, Journal of Endocrine Investigation, and Frontiers in Endocrinology. Only 22 (3.6%) were highly-cited (average CPP 141.8). Conclusion: The Covid-19 research concerning thyroid disorders has been largely conducted in the USA and Europe with contributions from China and India. There is a need to foster collaboration between high- and low-income countries for formulating better strategies to tackle thyroidrelated morbidities in Covid-19. Additionally, such research should involve younger age groups.
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The introduction of vaccines has inspired hope in the battle against SARS-CoV-2. However, the emergence of viral variants, in the absence of potent antivirals, has left the world struggling with the uncertain nature of this disease. Antibodies currently represent the strongest correlate of immunity against SARS-CoV-2, thus we profiled the earliest humoral signatures in a large cohort of acutely ill (survivors and nonsurvivors) and mild or asymptomatic individuals with COVID-19. Although a SARS-CoV-2-specific immune response evolved rapidly in survivors of COVID-19, nonsurvivors exhibited blunted and delayed humoral immune evolution, particularly with respect to S2-specific antibodies. Given the conservation of S2 across 0-coronaviruses, we found that the early development of SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity occurred in tandem with preexisting common I3-coronavirus OC43 humoral immunity in survivors, which was also selectively expanded in individuals that develop a paucisymptomatic infection. These data point to the importance of cross-coronavirus immunity as a correlate of protection against COVID-19.