Global Trends and Research Hotspots of Ferroptosis in Osteoarthritis: A Bibliometric and Visualized Study (2012-2026)

Ferroptosis is a novel form of cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. It has emerged as a key driver of osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Despite the rapid accumulation of relevant literature, systematic bibliometric evaluations in this field remain limited. This study aimed to clarify the knowledge structure, research hotspots, and developmental trajectories of ferroptosis in OA research.

Studies on ferroptosis in OA were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database from January 1, 2012, to February 1, 2026. Bibliometric analysis and knowledge graph creation were performed using CiteSpace and the R package "Bibliometrix." This study focused on the distribution of countries, institutions, journals, cocitation networks, and keyword bursts.

A total of 634 articles were retrieved, and the annual publication volume showed a continuous upward trend. China, particularly its top research institutions, dominated the number of papers published in this field. However, its level of international cooperation is relatively low. International Immunopharmacology is the journal with the highest number of published papers. Keyword co-occurrence analysis indicated that "oxidative stress" and "lipid peroxidation" are hotspots in fundamental research. Notably, citation and keyword burst analyses revealed a paradigm shift in research focus: early research (2012-2022) mainly elucidated basic pathologic mechanisms, while recent research (2023-2026) has increasingly focused on translational medicine. In particular, ferroptosis inhibitors and nanotechnology-based targeted drug delivery systems have been developed.

This study provides the first comprehensive bibliometric overview of the literature on ferroptosis in patients with OA. This field is currently undergoing rapid development, with research shifting from mechanistic exploration to clinical intervention. Targeted therapeutic strategies and nanoparticle-mediated delivery systems represent the most promising research frontiers. These findings provide valuable insights into future research directions in OA research.