Global Insights Into Spondylodiscitis: A Bibliometric Analysis of Four Decades of Research

The diagnosis and management of spondylodiscitis (SD) remain challenging for clinicians due to its insidious onset and nonspecific clinical presentation. Patients often have multiple comorbidities, requiring a multidisciplinary approach that may involve both nonsurgical and surgical interventions. This bibliometric study aims to analyze global research output on SD, exploring publication trends, citation patterns, contributing countries and journals, and commonly associated keywords. Data were collected from the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science (WoS) database on July 22, 2024, using the search terms "Spondylodiscitis" OR "Spondylodiskitis" OR "vertebral osteomyelitis" OR "spine osteomyelitis" OR "spinal osteomyelitis" OR "osteodiscitis" OR "osteodiskitis" OR "discitis" OR "diskitis". A total of 4,363 relevant publications were identified, spanning the years 1982 to 2023. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were conducted, including keyword network visualizations. There was an almost 15-fold increase in publication volume, from 18 publications in 1982 to 269 in 2023. Citation frequency followed a similar trajectory, rising from a single citation in 1982 to 7,148 in 2023. The United States, Germany, and France accounted for over 50% of the total research output, with Spine identified as the most prolific journal. Commonly co-occurring keywords included "endocarditis" and "staphylococcus aureus," as revealed by network visualization analysis. In conclusion, SD is a complex condition requiring multidisciplinary care. This bibliometric review demonstrates significant growth in both research volume and citation impact, particularly from high-income countries. Notably, keyword mapping revealed an underrepresentation of comorbidity-related terms in recent literature, indicating a potential gap in current academic discourse.