Micronutrient vitamin D affects the progression of inflammatory bowel disease: bibliometric and clinical analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Yang Qian , Zhang Peng , Li Yu , Han Lu , Shi Pengshuang , Zhu Liyi , Zhu Min , Ma Zhifeng , Cheng Shuang , Cui dejun 
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic gastrointestinal (GI) tract disorder with an uncertain etiology. Several studies have documented the presence of vitamin and mineral deficiencies among individuals with IBD, examining their impact on symptoms, quality of life, and demonstrating considerable variability in clinical significance.

OBJECTIVE

Bibliometric software and clinical data were used to explore the current state of research on vitamin D in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

CiteSpace 6.2.R4 was used for the analysis and visualization of various aspects including publication years, countries, institutions, journals/cited journals, authors/cited authors, references, and keywords. A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 77 patients with IBD who underwent 25-OH-vitamin D, blood routine, biochemical tests, and colonoscopy.

RESULTS

A total of 1,322 records were acquired. The substantial increase was observed between 2017 and 2022. It was determined that the journal NUTRIENTS exhibited the highest level of productivity, while GASTROENTEROLOGY emerged as the most frequently cited journal. In terms of influence, the United States demonstrated the greatest impact, boasting the highest number of publications and centrality. Harvard University emerged as the most prolific institution. Cantorna, Margherita T emerged as the most prominent author in terms of both publication count and citations received. Respectively, the articles authored by Ananthakrishnan AN were found to have the highest frequency and centrality of cited references. The primary subjects of interest pertaining to vitamin D in IBD encompassed "bone mineral density," "vitamin D deficiency," "vitamin D receptor," and "risk factors". The keyword "osteoporosis" exhibited the most significant citation burst, and the most emerging keyword was identified as "gut microbiota." A total of 42 patients (54.5%) exhibiting vitamin D deficiency were categorized as the deficiency group, while the remaining 35 patients (45.5%) were classified as the non-deficient group. Patients in the deficiency group demonstrated significantly decreased levels of serum albumin compared to those in the non-deficient group. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between serum vitamin D levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Additionally, findings from colonoscopy examinations indicated that the administration of vitamin D supplements may potentially alleviate inflammation in the colon.

CONCLUSIONS

This investigation is to discover new knowledge regarding potential partnerships and collaborative institutions, emerging areas of interest, and cutting-edge research frontiers in the field. Patients with moderate to severe forms of IBD require intensified monitoring to assess the need for vitamin D supplementation. As a result, this study provides valuable guidance for further exploration and implementation of vitamin D in the treatment of IBD.