Objective
Cardiopulmonary performance and physiological threshold parameters, including VO2max, lactate threshold, ventilatory threshold, and respiratory compensation point, are central determinants of endurance capacity and athletic performance. Despite the growing volume of research in this area, the global scientific structure, conceptual evolution, and collaborative dynamics of this literature have not been systematically synthesized. This study aimed to reveal the global scientific evolution, publication dynamics, structural concentration, and conceptual patterns of cardiopulmonary performance and threshold research in sports sciences between 2010 and 2025 through a comparative bibliometric analysis based on Web of Science and Scopus.
Methods
A bibliometric analysis was conducted using records retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases. After database filtering, merging, and strict duplicate removal based on normalized DOI and title matching, a final dataset of 2,745 unique original articles was analyzed. The analytical framework included descriptive bibliometric indicators, annual scientific production trends, compound annual growth rate (CAGR), regression-based trend analysis, Bradford's Law, Lotka's Law, keyword co-occurrence network analysis, thematic mapping, country collaboration network analysis, and citation half-life assessment.
Results
The findings demonstrated a sustained growth trajectory in the literature, with annual publication output increasing from 123 articles in 2010 to 276 in 2025 and a CAGR of approximately 5.53%. Regression analysis confirmed a strong and systematic upward trend (R 2 = 0.81). Bradford distribution revealed a distinct core-periphery journal structure, with only seven journals accounting for 31.3% of total publications. Keyword co-occurrence and thematic map analyses showed that the field is conceptually structured around physiological determinants, particularly exercise, oxygen consumption, VO2max, anaerobic threshold, and ventilatory threshold. VO2max and exercise performance emerged as motor themes, whereas ventilatory threshold and lactate threshold appeared as basic themes, indicating their foundational but still evolving role in the field. Country collaboration analysis demonstrated a dense and internationally connected research network, led primarily by the USA and several European countries. Citation half-life findings indicated that the field maintains both current relevance and cumulative continuity, with a median cited reference year of 2018.
Conclusion
The results indicate that cardiopulmonary performance and threshold research in sports sciences has evolved into a structurally consolidated, conceptually centralized, and internationally collaborative scientific field. The literature is strongly organized around physiological threshold-based mechanisms rather than isolated performance outcomes, reflecting a mature yet still expanding research architecture. By integrating production trends, conceptual mapping, and collaboration patterns, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the information structure of the field and offers a robust framework for future research in sports physiology and performance science.
