A Comparative Bibliometric Analysis of Pediatric Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment: Global Trends, Advances, and Future Directions (2004-2024).

BACKGROUND: Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) is rare, heterogeneous, and presents major treatment challenges. This bibliometric study analyzes research trends and hotspots specifically within the domain of chILD treatment research. METHODS: Using bibliometrics, this study utilized data from the Web of Science Core Collection spanning from 2004 to 2024. Various research hotspots were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometric." RESULTS: A total of 577 articles were examined. Prominent journals contributing to this field included Pediatric Pulmonology, Thorax, and the European Respiratory Journal. Griese Matthias, Schwerk Nicolaus, and Clement Annick emerged as the most productive and cited authors. The study identified five key research directions: (1) genetic and molecular mechanisms, (2) clinical management, (3) neonatal risk factors, (4) autoimmune-related factors and immunomodulatory therapies, and (5) fibrosis progression. Keyword analysis showed a recent surge (2022-2024) in research on autoimmune and inflammatory factors, with notable bursts in "polymyositis" and "juvenile dermatomyositis," alongside growing attention to immunosuppressive therapies such as "mycophenolate-mofetil." In contrast, pulmonary fibrosis and imaging-based diagnosis demonstrated limited recent activity, as "thin-section CT" and "high-resolution CT" maintained only a secondary role, reflecting a shift in focus toward immune-mediated mechanisms and therapeutic innovation. CONCLUSION: Although the total number of chILD publications remains small, increasing attention to the field highlights the need for further contributions. Along with advances in understanding molecular pathogenesis, the recent surge of immunomodulatory therapies reflects a promising shift toward precision medicine through the identification and targeting of cellular mechanisms.