A bibliometric analysis of the published studies in ciprofol research

Objective: Ciprofol (HSK-3486), a novel intravenous anesthetic with structural similarities to propofol, has shown promising pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profiles; however, clinical data regarding its efficacy and safety remain limited. Because research on ciprofol is still in its infancy, this study uses bibliometric methods to examine the published literature and to highlight research trends, key topics, and future directions for its clinical applications. Methods: We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) for English-language articles and reviews on ciprofol published from 2017 - the year it was first reported - through August 28, 2024. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts for eligibility, discrepancies were resolved in consultation with a senior reviewer. The data, including publication details and citation metrics, were extracted and organized for analysis. We visualized the results with CiteSpace, GraphPad Prism, and Microsoft Excel. Results: A total of 62 studies were included. Annual publications rose by 50% from 2021 to 2022 and by 83% from 2022 to 2023. China dominated the field, contributing 59 articles (95.16% of the total). Sichuan University and Liu X. were the most prolific institution and author, respectively. BMC Anesthesiology, Drug Design, Development and Therapy, Frontiers in Pharmacology, and Journal of Clinical Anesthesia were the 4 leading journals publishing ciprofol research. Frontiers in Pharmacology received the most citations (n = 71) and achieved an H-index of 4. Anesthesiology carried the highest 2022 impact factor (9.1), whereas Anesthesia and Analgesia accrued 48 citations. Safety, pharmacokinetics, and anesthesia were the most frequently studied aspects, whereas "critically ill patients," "injection," and "pain" emerged as recent research hotspots. Temporal analysis showed that key terms shifted from "pharmacokinetics" in 2021 to "general anesthesia" by 2022, while themes such as "critically ill patients" remained consistently relevant. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of ciprofol research, identifies key contributors, and reveals critical insights and gaps in the literature. Our findings underscore ciprofol's safety, efficacy, and optimal clinical use while highlighting current hotspots and challenges that should guide future research.