Global research trends and hotspots in mitochondria and asthma: a bibliometric and visualized analysis

Asthma is a complex chronic respiratory disease marked by inflammation, bronchoconstriction, and hyperresponsiveness. Mitochondria, key regulators of energy production, ROS, and apoptosis, are increasingly recognized as crucial in asthma pathophysiology. However, a comprehensive analysis of global research trends in this area is lacking. This study aims to perform a bibliometric and visualized analysis of global research on mitochondria and asthma.

A bibliometric analysis was conducted using Web of Science Core Collection data from 2004 to June 2024. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to examine co-authorship, co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic clusters.

A total of 669 publications were identified. The number of studies grew significantly after 2015, with the United States, China, and the UK leading research. Co-citation and keyword analyses revealed mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and airway inflammation as major themes. Emerging areas of interest include mitochondrial biogenesis, NLRP3 inflammasome, and innate immunity. Collaboration among institutions like Harvard University and the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research was significant, and journals, such as European Respiratory Journal and Nature Medicine were highly influential.

This study provides an overview of research on mitochondria and asthma, highlighting emerging trends, such as mitochondrial biogenesis and immune pathways. Future research should focus on these areas and the role of environmental triggers in mitochondrial dysfunction, offering valuable insights for therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondria in asthma.