Bibliometric and visual analysis of overlooked fatigue in kidney transplantation: a narrative review.

Background: Fatigue significantly influences and predicts quality of life, social function, and graft survival after kidney transplantation. Accurate assessment and management of fatigue in kidney transplant recipients are vital, especially when planning treatment strategies and potential rehabilitation programs. However, there is no bibliometric report in this area.

Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection for all original articles and reviews published in English on this topic was searched up from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 2023. A total of 719 articles meeting inclusion criteria were analyzed using bibliometric approaches.

Results: The United States is the most influential country in this research area, with the Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education being the most prolific institution. The Transplantation and American Journal of Transplantation emerged as the foremost in publishing articles in this field. The highest-frequency keywords were quality of life, kidney transplantation, chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and fatigue. Besides, important research topics included kidney transplantation, quality of life, dialysis, fatigue, and depression.

Conclusions: Kidney transplant-related fatigue has been gradually concerned by scholars, with research focusing on its impact on quality of life, chronic kidney disease, dialysis, and depression. However, the current body of research remains largely descriptive, with limited studies on effective prevention and intervention strategies. Future research should prioritize the development of targeted interventions to address fatigue in kidney transplant recipients, incorporating multidisciplinary approaches involving clinical medicine, psychology, and rehabilitation. Promising strategies may include psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapies, personalized exercise programs, and optimized medication management.