Objective　To systematically analyze the relevant literatures of problem-based learning (PBL) and to provide reference for further improvement and innovation. Methods　Using bibliometric method and the package “tm” in R

we searched web of science database for PBL relevant literatures from inception to March 19 of 2018. Results　A total of 5 710 articles published in 77 journals had been collected. The results showed that PBL relevant literatures were increasing from 1976 to 2018. Most papers were published as article

with first authors from 84 countries of the world. The total citation of 5 710 articles is 54 768 and the average referenced times is 9.59. The research in those articles focused on medical education

health care sciences and engineering. Conclusions　PBL has been widely used in various disciplines

especially in medical education. The research involves a wide range but the quality and depth of the study is still need to be improved.