Bibliometric analysis of the inflammatory mechanisms in knee osteoarthritis in recent 30 years

This study aimed to improve Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) therapy by evaluating the knowledge framework and investigating research trends in inflammatory mechanisms. Conducting a thorough search on July 31, 2023, using the Science Citation Index Expanded of the Web of Science Core Collection, we identified 1,083 articles authored by 6,159 individuals from 3,610 institutions across 299 countries. China led in productivity with 377 papers, followed by the United States (253) and Japan (60). The University of California System (20 publications), Guangzhou University of Science and Technology (19), Duke University (18), and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (18) were the top institutions. Notably, the USA and Southern Medical University China held significant centrality in countries and institutions, respectively. Among 1,084 co-occurring keywords, "expression", "rheumatoid arthritis", "articular cartilage", "F kappa b", and "Synovial fluid" emerged as highly correlated topics. Analyzing inflammatory mechanisms in KOA through visualization tools offers insights into the knowledge framework, aiding in identifying future trends for better pain control. The study employed CiteSpace, VOS Viewer, and Tableau to analyze research hotspots and frontiers in inflammation mechanisms in KOA. It focused on essential signaling pathways in articular cartilage, synovial membrane, subchondral bone, and synovial fluids of OA patients and animal models, along with potential therapeutic reagents. Future exploration of the interaction between mechanisms can elucidate key factors in different pathways and the efficacy of injection therapy on inflammation.