Research progress and challenges in stem cell therapy for diabetic foot: Bibliometric analysis and perspectives

BACKGROUND Stem cell therapy has shown great potential for treating diabetic foot (DF). AIM To conduct a bibliometric analysis of studies on the use of stem cell therapy for DF over the past two decades, with the aim of depicting the current global research landscape, identifying the most influential research hotspots, and providing insights for future research directions. METHODS We searched the Web of Science Core Collection database for all relevant studies on the use of stem cell therapy in DF. Bibliometric analysis was carried out using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R (4.3.1) to identify the most notable studies. RESULTS A search was conducted to identify publications related to the use of stem cells for DF treatment. A total of 542 articles published from 2000 to 2023 were identified. The United States had published the most papers on this subject. In this field, Iran's Shahid Beheshti University Medical Sciences demonstrated the highest productivity. Furthermore, Dr. Bayat from the same university has been an outstanding researcher in this field. Stem Cell Research & Therapy is the journal with the highest number of publications in this field. The main keywords were "diabetic foot ulcers," "wound healing," and "angiogenesis." CONCLUSION This study systematically illustrated the advances in the use of stem cell therapy to treat DF over the past 23 years. Current research findings suggested that the hotspots in this field include stem cell dressings, exosomes, wound healing, and adipose-derived stem cells. Future research should also focus on the clinical translation of stem cell therapies for DF.