Trends and advances in cardiac rehabilitation for congenital heart disease: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) survivors often suffer from impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL), requiring cardiac rehabilitation (CR) as an additional intervention. CR involves various modalities and has been demonstrated to reduce mortality and improve HRQoL in cardiovascular diseases. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis and summary of the accumulated literature on cardiac rehabilitation for congenital heart disease (CRfCHD). This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on cardiac rehabilitation for congenital heart disease. By analyzing research trends and hotspots, it also sought to highlight key developments and suggest future directions in this growing field.

Methods: A systematic search of the Web of Science Core Collection was performed to identify publications related to CRfCHD. Bibliometric tools, including CiteSpace and VOSviewer, were used to visualize co-authorship networks, keyword clusters, and citation patterns.

Results: A total of 218 articles were included in the analysis. The number of research papers on CRfCHD has shown an increasing trend over time, with a significant rise in publications since 2019. The United States has the highest number of publications, while the most cited paper focuses on the effects of physical exercise training in CHD patients. Keyword analysis reveals hotspots in the field such as congenital heart disease, physical activity, children, and adolescents.

Conclusion: This bibliometric study analyzed the development of CRfCHD from 2003 to 2022, and overviewed the evolution and frontiers in this promising field. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive and effective CRfCHD programs. Home-based cardiac rehabilitation and mental health research in CHD patients require more attention.