A century of cardiac rehabilitation research: Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citations

Deborah Manandi; Karice Hyun; Dion Candelaria; Matthew A. Hollings; Qiang Tu; Sarah Gauci; Adrienne O'Neil; Georgia K Chaseling; Ling  Zhang; Tom Briffa; Sherry L. Grace; Robyn Gallagher; Julie Redfern

doi:10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w

A century of cardiac rehabilitation research: Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citations

Deborah Manandi^*, Karice Hyun, Dion Candelaria, Matthew A. Hollings, Qiang Tu, Sarah Gauci, Adrienne O'Neil, Georgia K Chaseling, Ling Zhang, Tom Briffa, Sherry L. Grace, Robyn Gallagher, Julie Redfern

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Research into cardiac rehabilitation (CR), a key model for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, has evolved since first described in 1927. This review aimed to explore this evolution by identifying CR-related publications from the Web of Science Core Collection and summarizing CR research publication history, trends in publication keywords, and citations over time. A total of 8729 CR publications appeared across 1441 journals (median impact factor: 2.6) and were cited 315,819 times, with over 85% (7455/8729) published in the past two decades. These publications involved contributions from 26,909 authors across 120 countries, despite disproportionate domination by high-income countries. Publication keywords have consistently focused on exercise but have evolved from evaluating clinical events, quality-of-life, and return-to-work outcomes to improving accessibility using digital interventions. However, a broader focus on other cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and various research designs may be needed to modernize CR, particularly in lower-income countries.

Original language	English
Article number	26
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	NPJ cardiovascular health
Volume	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w
Publication status	Published - 26 Jun 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/s44325-025-00062-wLicence: CC BY

A century of cardiac rehabilitation research Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citationsFinal published version, 1.44 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Manandi, D., Hyun, K., Candelaria, D., Hollings, M. A., Tu, Q., Gauci, S., O'Neil, A., Chaseling, G. K., Zhang, L., Briffa, T., Grace, S. L., Gallagher, R., & Redfern, J. (2025). A century of cardiac rehabilitation research: Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citations. NPJ cardiovascular health, 2, 1-9. Article 26. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w

@article{7d0b3c56f21c4807a77b9a20050aec74,

title = "A century of cardiac rehabilitation research: Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citations",

abstract = "Research into cardiac rehabilitation (CR), a key model for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, has evolved since first described in 1927. This review aimed to explore this evolution by identifying CR-related publications from the Web of Science Core Collection and summarizing CR research publication history, trends in publication keywords, and citations over time. A total of 8729 CR publications appeared across 1441 journals (median impact factor: 2.6) and were cited 315,819 times, with over 85% (7455/8729) published in the past two decades. These publications involved contributions from 26,909 authors across 120 countries, despite disproportionate domination by high-income countries. Publication keywords have consistently focused on exercise but have evolved from evaluating clinical events, quality-of-life, and return-to-work outcomes to improving accessibility using digital interventions. However, a broader focus on other cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and various research designs may be needed to modernize CR, particularly in lower-income countries.",

author = "Deborah Manandi and Karice Hyun and Dion Candelaria and Hollings, {Matthew A.} and Qiang Tu and Sarah Gauci and Adrienne O'Neil and Chaseling, {Georgia K} and Ling Zhang and Tom Briffa and Grace, {Sherry L.} and Robyn Gallagher and Julie Redfern",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w",

language = "English",

volume = "2",

pages = "1--9",

journal = "NPJ cardiovascular health",

issn = "2948-2836",

publisher = "Nature Research",

}

Manandi, D, Hyun, K, Candelaria, D, Hollings, MA, Tu, Q, Gauci, S, O'Neil, A, Chaseling, GK, Zhang, L, Briffa, T, Grace, SL, Gallagher, R & Redfern, J 2025, 'A century of cardiac rehabilitation research: Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citations', NPJ cardiovascular health, vol. 2, 26, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w

TY - JOUR

T1 - A century of cardiac rehabilitation research: Bibliometric review of publication history, keyword trends, and citations

AU - Manandi, Deborah

AU - Hyun, Karice

AU - Candelaria, Dion

AU - Hollings, Matthew A.

AU - Tu, Qiang

AU - Gauci, Sarah

AU - O'Neil, Adrienne

AU - Chaseling, Georgia K

AU - Zhang, Ling

AU - Briffa, Tom

AU - Grace, Sherry L.

AU - Gallagher, Robyn

AU - Redfern, Julie

PY - 2025/6/26

Y1 - 2025/6/26

N2 - Research into cardiac rehabilitation (CR), a key model for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, has evolved since first described in 1927. This review aimed to explore this evolution by identifying CR-related publications from the Web of Science Core Collection and summarizing CR research publication history, trends in publication keywords, and citations over time. A total of 8729 CR publications appeared across 1441 journals (median impact factor: 2.6) and were cited 315,819 times, with over 85% (7455/8729) published in the past two decades. These publications involved contributions from 26,909 authors across 120 countries, despite disproportionate domination by high-income countries. Publication keywords have consistently focused on exercise but have evolved from evaluating clinical events, quality-of-life, and return-to-work outcomes to improving accessibility using digital interventions. However, a broader focus on other cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and various research designs may be needed to modernize CR, particularly in lower-income countries.

AB - Research into cardiac rehabilitation (CR), a key model for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, has evolved since first described in 1927. This review aimed to explore this evolution by identifying CR-related publications from the Web of Science Core Collection and summarizing CR research publication history, trends in publication keywords, and citations over time. A total of 8729 CR publications appeared across 1441 journals (median impact factor: 2.6) and were cited 315,819 times, with over 85% (7455/8729) published in the past two decades. These publications involved contributions from 26,909 authors across 120 countries, despite disproportionate domination by high-income countries. Publication keywords have consistently focused on exercise but have evolved from evaluating clinical events, quality-of-life, and return-to-work outcomes to improving accessibility using digital interventions. However, a broader focus on other cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, and various research designs may be needed to modernize CR, particularly in lower-income countries.

U2 - 10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w

DO - 10.1038/s44325-025-00062-w

M3 - Article

SN - 2948-2836

VL - 2

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - NPJ cardiovascular health

JF - NPJ cardiovascular health

M1 - 26

ER -