Quality of life in ICU survivors from 1991 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis based on CiteSpace

Objective: In recent years, the number of ICU survivors has increased year by year, and their health-related quality of life after discharge has been an increasingly concerned. This study aims to analyze the development status, research hotspots, research frontiers, and future development trends of the quality of life of ICU survivors after discharge. Methods: : The relevant literature was retrieved from the WOSCC database, including only the articles published in English. CiteSpace6.0R software was used to analyze the collaboration network of countries/regions, institutions, and keywords, and co-citation analysis of references. Results: A total of 1495 related research papers were included in this study. The major countries that conducted the research included the United States (US), Australia, England, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, France, and Italy. The research institutes are mainly located in the United States and France, and the main researchers come from the research institutes in these countries. The most cited authors are Needham D, Hopkins R, Jackson J, and Ely E. The top 3 journals with the largest number of published articles were the Journal of Critical Care Medicine, Journal of Critical Care, and Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. The top 5 most commonly used keywords were cognitive impairment, symptom, critical care, acute kidney injury, long-term outcomes, and mechanical ventilation. Post-intensive care syndrome, ICU survivor, critical care outcome, acute respiratory syndrome, and frailty would be potentially cited frequently over the coming years, which represent the emerging trends. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the global research hotspots and trends of related quality-of-life research in ICU survivors. It can help scholars quickly understand the research status and hot spots in this field.