Mapping Global Research Landscapes of Acupuncture for Diabetes Mellitus: A 20-Year Bibliometric Study (2004-2024)

Background: As diabetes mellitus continues to escalate into a global health crisis, particularly in China, the limitations of conventional pharmacotherapy underscore the need for complementary interventions. This study systematically reviews two decades of research progress on acupuncture for diabetes management. Methods: A total of 391 publications met the inclusion criteria from the Web of Science Core Collection (2004-2024) using the search terms "acupuncture" AND "diabetes". These comprised 294 original studies and 97 reviews. CiteSpace 6.3.R1 was used to perform multidimensional analyses, including co-occurrence networks, centrality algorithms, and silhouette metrics across countries/regions, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. Results: The analysis shows a significant increase in publications on acupuncture for diabetes management after 2013. China and the United States lead in research output, yet collaboration between the two countries remains limited. Most researchers currently work within isolated clusters, underscoring the need for greater exchanges and cooperation. Furthermore, this study identified three key research hotspots: insulin resistance, complications, and interdisciplinary research. Conclusions: This bibliometric analysis reveals dynamic growth patterns and paradigm shifts in acupuncture and diabetes research. The findings provide valuable implications for integrating acupuncture into diabetes treatment.