Knowledge mapping and research trends of accidental falls in patients with Parkinson's disease from 2003 to 2023: a bibliometric analysis

Background Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in research on accidental falls in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD). However, a comprehensive and systematic bibliometric analysis is still lacking. This study aims to systematically analyze the current status and development trends of research related to accidental falls in patients with PD using bibliometric methods. Methods We retrieved literature related to accidental falls in patients with PD published between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2023, from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. Statistical analysis and knowledge mapping of the literature were conducted using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Microsoft Excel software. Results A total of 3,195 publications related to accidental falls in patients with PD were retrieved. These articles were authored by 13,202 researchers from 3,834 institutions across 87 countries and published in 200 academic journals. Over the past 20 years, the number of published articles and citations has increased annually. The United States and the United Kingdom have the highest number of publications in this field, while Harvard University and Tel Aviv University are the most influential institutions. The Parkinsonism & Related Disorders journal published the highest number of articles, while the Movement Disorders journal had the highest number of citations. The most prolific author is Bloem, Bastiaan R, while the most cited author is Hausdorff, Jeffrey. The main research areas of these publications are Neurosciences, Biomedical, Electrical & Electronic, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Currently, high-frequency keywords related to accidental falls in patients with PD include risk factors, clinical manifestations, and interventions. Prediction and prevention of accidental falls in such patients is a research topic with significant potential and is currently a major focus of research. Conclusion This study used bibliometric and knowledge mapping analysis to reveal the current research status and hotspots in the field of accidental falls in patients with PD. It also points out directions for future research. This study can provide theoretical support and practical guidance for scholars to further conduct related research.