Global research trends and hotspot evolution of olfactory dysfunction from 2014 to 2024: a bibliometric analysis

Olfactory dysfunction (OD) significantly impacts health and quality of life. However, the specific mechanisms underlying olfactory disorders and effective therapeutic interventions remain unclear. Conducting a bibliometric analysis of the extensive OD literature could provide valuable insights for addressing these issues.

To characterize the research landscape of olfactory disorders over the past decade and identify emerging research foci through bibliometric analysis.

We retrieved OD-related publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (2014-2024) and performed bibliometric analysis and visualization using the Biblioshiny online tool.

The analysis included 1560 articles on OD, authored by 7424 researchers across 312 journals. Annual publication output and total citations per article showed stable, slight increases. European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, and Laryngoscope were identified as prominent journals due to high article output and H-index. Hummel T was the most prolific and influential author. Institutional collaboration analysis identified potential ideal collaborators. The United States, China, and Germany produced the most publications and collaborations. Co-occurrence and keyword evolution analyses suggested epithelial repair, neurogenesis, and quality of life as potential future research hotspots.

This study delineates the current status and evolution of OD research, suggesting that epithelial repair, nerve regeneration, and the impact of OD on quality of life represent promising innovative research directions.