The global state of research and trends in osteomyelitis from 2010 to 2019: a 10-year bibliometric analysis

Background: Osteomyelitis is a difficult problem for orthopedic surgeons due to its great harm and complicated treatment. In this study, we aim to make a bibliometric analysis of the literature related to osteomyelitis and explore the research status, hotspots and frontiers in this field in recent 10 years. Methods: Literature relating to osteomyelitis from 2010 to 2019 was retrieved from the database of Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) of Web of Science. CiteSpace was used to analyze country/institution, authors/cited authors, cited journals, cited references, and keywords. An analysis of counts and centrality was used to reveal publication outputs, countries/institutions, core journals, active authors, hot topics, and frontiers. Results: A total of 6,421 valid literatures were retrieved. The most productive country and institution were the United States and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, respectively. Researchers and institutions from the United States, Germany, England, and France were the core research forces. There was a broad and close cooperation worldwide. Lipsky BA [24] was the most productive first author, and Lew DP [487] was the most frequently cited author. Lipsky et al.'s [2012] article (co-citation counts, 146) was the most representative and symbolic reference. Journal of Foot Ankle Surgery [111] was the most productive journal. Clin Infect Dis [2,275] was the most frequently co-cited journal. Staphylococcus aureus infection and the diagnosis, treatment and management strategy of osteomyelitis were the hot spots. Epidemiology, diabetic foot, treatment, especially antibiotics, biofilm and in vitro research were research frontiers. Conclusions: This study reveals the current research status and hot spots in the field of osteomyelitis in recent 10 years, which may help researchers to identify further potential perspectives on collaborators, research frontiers, and hot topics.