Exploration and prospect of core research hotspots in sepsis-induced myocardial injury based on bibliometrics
TL;DR
Analysis of keyword bursts revealed that precision regulation based on molecular mechanisms and the exploration of intervention targets represent the current research hotspots in sepsis-associated SICM.
Abstract
Objective: Sepsis-associated myocardial injury (SICM) is one of the most common and severe complications of sepsis. The present study aimed to analyze research trends, collaborative networks, and knowledge dissemination in SICM over the past decade using bibliometric methods, thereby providing a reference for future research directions. Method: Relevant literature published between 2015 and 2025 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. A bibliometric cross-sectional analysis was performed using software tools, including VOSviewer and CiteSpace, with corresponding evaluation metrics extracted or calculated. Publications were categorized by country, institution, author, journal, highly cited papers, and keywords; these variables were compared with respect to publication output and academic impact, followed by bibliometric and visual analyses. Results: Over the past decade (2015–2025), remarkable advances have been achieved in sepsis research related to SICM. A total of 2927 papers were included in this study. China, the United States, and England constituted the primary sources of publications in this field; among the top 20 contributing institutions, 15 were from China, 4 from the United States, and one from Australia, with Yang Yang identified as the core contributing author. Shock ranked first in the number of publications, while Critical Care topped the list in terms of citation frequency. The most frequently used keywords were sepsis, mortality, and septic shock. Analysis of keyword bursts revealed that precision regulation based on molecular mechanisms and the exploration of intervention targets represent the current research hotspots. Conclusion: Research on sepsis-associated SICM is flourishing. The present study clarifies the research hotspots in this field, provides a comprehensive overview of relevant research trends, and offers a reference for potential collaborations and future research directions.