Low Middle Income Countries and Academic Productivity of Neurosurgery: A Quantitative Analysis From Pakistan

• Published in: Journal of clinical neuroscience 2024-12, Vol.132, p.110992, Article 110992
• Main Authors: Ranjha, Kaleem Ullah, Abid, Syeda Fatima, Khan, Muhammad Hammad, Waheed, Muhammad Shayan, Sarfraz, Laiba, Kashif, Muhammad, Muthana, Ahmed, Hoz, Samer S., Farooq, Minaam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Neurosurgeons; Neurosurgery; Pakistan; Scientific productivity
• ISSN: 0967-5868; 1532-2653; 1532-2653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2024.110992

•Neurosurgery demands reliable neurological research for improving outcomes amid rising challenges.•LMICs including Pakistan, lag in neurological research due to limited resources and collaborations, with a significant underrepresentation of research and authors from these regions.•Pakistan has experienced a surge in neurosurgical research since 2017, yet notable regional and institutional disparities remain, affecting research quality and output.•There is a pressing need for equitable research opportunities for neurosurgeons across Pakistan. Promoting both local and international collaborations and addressing regional disparities are crucial for advancing neurosurgery in a lower middle-income country. Neurosurgical training and practice rely heavily on research, which is a pivotal marker of academic productivity. This study investigates the current landscape of neurosurgery publications originating from Pakistan, encompassing overall research output, prevalent topics, and disparities across institutions and regions. Electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect, were systematically searched up to November 1, 2023, using specified keywords. Data pertaining to authors, publication years, affiliations, article types, citations, journals, impact factors, and topics were extracted from eligible articles. From inception till Nov 1, 2023, a total of 825 articles relating to Neurosurgery were published from Pakistan. A significant upsurge in publications occurred from 2017 onwards, reaching its peak in 2021 with 115 studies published. A total of 12 articles had 100 or more citations. The majority of publications were original articles (n = 592, 71.7 %) followed by reviews (n = 144, 17.5 %), predominantly focusing on brain-related topics (n = 203, 24.6 %), neuro-oncology (n = 164, 19.8 %), spine (n = 145, 17.5 %), and trauma (n = 143. 17.3 %). Vascular neurosurgery contributed 88 studies, general neurosurgery 40, neuroradiology 28, functional neurosurgery 14, and pediatric neurosurgery 17. Shamim MS was the top author with the most number of publications (n = 89), followed by Enam SA (n = 51). JPMA (n = 93) and Surgical Neurology International (n = 71) emerged as the top publishing journals. Aga Khan University and Hospital emerged as the most prolific contributor with 236 original studies conducted. There exists notable regional disparities and a lack of experimental studies. While there has been a substantial increase in neuro