Current Trends and Future Insights on Rosacea Treatment: A Bibliometric Analysis

Rosacea involves immune, neurovascular, and microbial factors, but its complex mechanisms are poorly understood, hindering effective treatment development. This study aims to examine research trends and significant contributions in the treatment of rosacea.

Publications related to rosacea treatment were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Bibliometric analysis and visualization were performed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package "bibliometrix".

By June 7, 2024, 1389 English-language publications published between 1970 and 2024 were identified for analysis. The leading research countries were the United States (446 articles) and China (149 articles), with the Central South University (95 articles) being the most productive institution. Key journals included Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (impact factor = 12.8) and the British Journal of Dermatology (impact factor = 11). James Q. Del Rosso was identified as a major contributor (h-index = 20). Keywords cluster analysis revealed five prominent themes: 1) pharmacological treatment and clinical trials, 2) epidemiology and associated risk factors, 3) pathophysiology and pathogenesis, 4) skin barrier function and related dermatoses, and 5) laser and physical therapies. Representative terms of emerging trends include "pathogenesis", "pathophysiology", and "standard classification", suggesting increasing focus on immune dysregulation, neurovascular mechanisms, and microbiome-related pathways. These insights indicate that future rosacea treatment research may shift toward targeted, mechanism-based therapeutic strategies.

This study underscores the dynamic landscape of research in rosacea treatment, synthesizes current areas of emphasis, and forecasts future trends. Future developments in rosacea research may concentrate on integrating precision medicine approaches by linking molecularly defined pathogenic mechanisms with standardized classification systems, thereby facilitating targeted and multidisciplinary treatment strategies.