Bibliometric Insights into Thirty-Nine (39) Years of Research on <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> in Diabetic Foot Infections

Abstract

Abstract The ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form biofilms and develop multidrug resistance has made it a highly significant pathogen in diabetic foot infections (DFIs), contributing to global morbidity. This research carried out a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of 873 articles on P. aeruginosa in DFIs, published between 1985 and 2024, that were retrieved from the Scopus database in order to clarify changing research trends and pinpoint areas of innovation. Bibliometric tools including Bibliometrix in R and VOSviewer were used to map authorship networks, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic evolution. After language and document-type filtering and subsequent manual keyword screening, 333 relevant publications were analyzed. Research output has significantly increased over the past two decades with an annual growth rate of 9.85%, and a noticeable shift in focus from general infection studies to focused studies on molecular mechanisms, antibiotic resistance, and sophisticated therapeutic interventions. Innovation hotspots have been identified in biofilm research, antimicrobial resistance, and new treatments like phage therapy and quorum quenching. Global research distribution is still unequal despite these advancements with most publications coming from nations with strong research infrastructure, while contributions from less resource-rich areas are scarce. Additionally, collaboration patterns show fragmented international cooperation and a preference for intra-country partnerships. Emerging innovation hotspots include anti-biofilm strategies, genomics-driven resistance profiling, and next-generation therapeutic development. However, the study observes systemic disparities in research equity and knowledge sharing. Addressing these issues through inclusive research partnerships and stronger policy-to-practice integration is essential to advancing effective DFI management globally. To make future advancements in the control of P. aeruginosa in diabetic foot infections, it will be important to address these disparities through inclusive and cross-disciplinary research. Abstract Figure