Research Trends and Thematic Evolution of Genetic Studies on Ischemic Stroke in Southeast Asia: A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Ischemic stroke is an increasing disease burden in Southeast Asia, however no regional genetic exploration has systematically mapped how this research has evolved. This bibliometric analysis addresses that gap by mapping the trends and thematic evolution of genetic research on ischemic stroke in Southeast Asia. This study identifies region-specific research pathway from candidate-gene polymorphism research toward CYP2C19-guided pharmacogenomics, providing an evidence base for precision stroke medicine policy and clinical guideline development in the region. A systematic search from Scopus database was conducted on July 22 nd , 2026, using search strings combining stroke-, genetic-, and Southeast Asian country-specific terms. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this yielded 24 eligible publications (2006-2026), analyzed using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny. We observed a thematic shift from basic candidate-gene polymorphism studies (MTHFR, APOE, eNOS) toward clinically actionable pharmacogenomics dominated by CYP2C19-guided antiplatelet therapy; Singapore led both research output number and citation impact (135 citations). Full implementation of genetic aspect in stroke management within Southeast Asia still need further investigations. A concrete precision-medicine such as: prioritizing population-diverse genome-wide association studies (GWAS), integrating multi-omics data, developing region-calibrated polygenic risk scores, and embedding pharmacogenomic screening such as CYP2C19 testing into acute stroke clinical pathways is needed. This study supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).