Evolutionary Trends and Research Focal Points on Port Wine Stains: A Scientometric and Meta-Analysis

Despite numerous studies over the past two decades, clinical treatment for port wine stains (PWS) has shown limited progress. Analyzing evolutionary trends and research focal points can illuminate current deficiencies and guide future investigations. We aim to conduct a scientometric analysis and meta-analysis to uncover the historical trajectory, research hotspots, and future directions of PWS.

We conducted a scientometric analysis of articles related to PWS published between 2000 and 2023. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and analyzed using R software, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Furthermore, we retrieved articles reporting therapeutic clearance rates for PWS from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane search engines. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata/MP to assess whether treatment outcomes for PWS have improved in the 21st century.

The annual scientific output was stable from 2000 to 2023. The top three countries in terms of document production were the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) were the two primary modalities used in the treatment of PWS. A notable difference exists in the preference for these treatment modalities between China and Western countries. The meta-analysis shows improvement in treatment outcomes for PWS from 2000 to 2023.

Although limited, treatment outcomes for PWS have shown improvement in the 21st century. However, there is a critical need for research directions that could revolutionize current treatment practices. Genetic discoveries have suggested promising therapeutic targets for potential breakthroughs in the future.