The Landscape of Experimental Cardiac Arrest Research Models in Rats: A Bibliometric Analysis of the 100 Most Cited Articles

This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited articles on experimental cardiac arrest models in rats, identifying key contributors, publication trends, research themes, and collaboration networks. A comprehensive literature search was performed on the Web of Science (WoS) database on June 11, 2024, using keywords related to cardiac arrest and rat models. The top 100 most cited articles were analyzed using the Biblioshiny web application from the Bibliometrix R package (version 4.2.3), categorized by primary research focus. Articles, published from 1980 to 2022, involved 416 authors across 44 journals, averaging 106.7 citations each. Primary research themes were neurology (72%), organ transplantation (7%), cardiovascular system (6%), CPR outcomes after local anesthetic toxicity (4%), and other topics (5%). The United States, Japan, and Germany were leading contributors, with limited international collaborations. Major clusters identified included "Cerebral Ischemia and Outcomes," "Brain Imaging Metrics," and "Blood Brain Barrier". The most commonly used methodologies for cardiac arrest induction were asphyxia, induction by magnesium or potassium chloride and electrical stimulation. This first bibliometric analysis on the topic reveals a dominance of neuroscience in experimental cardiac arrest models in rats. High-impact journals like the "Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism" play critical roles in disseminating significant research. The study highlights substantial gaps in global research engagement, with minimal contributions from lower-income countries and few international collaborations. This analysis provides a roadmap for future research directions and opportunities for more extensive international and interdisciplinary collaboration, always with a focus on scientific rigor.