Jones Benjamin M, Pengelly Reuben J, Borthwick Alan M, Bowen Catherine J
School of Health Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
J Foot Ankle Res. 2025 Sep;18(3):e70062. doi: 10.1002/jfa2.70062.
Research into diabetic foot complications is extensive; it remains challenging to identify critical literature. Evolving interprofessional boundaries, alongside advances in molecular medicine and pathophysiological understanding, necessitates mapping of the scientific literature (corpus). Impact of these advances on podiatric medicine remains unclear. This study explores topics, research performance, and evolution across the literature and disciplines to understand the corpus in its current state.
A retrospective-observational bibliometric analysis examined Web of Science publications using PRISMA search strategy (August 2023) to understand interconnectedness, direction, and intersectionality of subject disciplines, growth areas, and output. Curated phrases and disease focussed classification anchored investigation to diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Qualitative and quantitative approaches analysed publication meta-data (authors, citations, keywords) to map key concepts and scientific developments.
Analysis of 589 records (1991-2023) revealed observational studies as the dominant design. Prominent concepts included risk, polyneuropathy, and prevalence, with authors favouring accessible terms (peripheral neuropathy) across specialisms. Leading research hubs were in England, Demark, USA, Qatar, Germany, and Italy. Diabetic Medicine and Diabetes Care remained the highest-cited journals, whilst the International Journal of Molecular Science, Cell Stem Cell, and Nature Reviews Neurology provided contemporary insights. Post-2016, methodological rigour and objectivity increased.
Recurring topics included enhancing pre-clinical screening, addressing earlier diagnosis, pain management stratification with medicines optimisation, and reproducibility challenges. Case-controls increasingly replaced larger prospective, longitudinal study designs to improve diagnostic test accuracy and detection of diabetic neuropathy, particularly for neuropathic pain affecting small nerve fibres. Molecular approaches gained prominence signalling a shift from purely clinically derived approaches. The corpus responded to subjectivity and variable diagnostic criteria by prioritising objectivity. Emerging insights into channelopathies and mitochondrial dysfunction may augment current assessment/screening approaches to refine risk stratification and management strategies.
关于糖尿病足并发症的研究广泛，但识别关键文献仍具有挑战性。随着分子医学的进步和病理生理学认识的发展，跨专业界限不断演变，因此有必要对科学文献（语料库）进行梳理。这些进展对足病医学的影响尚不清楚。本研究探讨文献和学科中的主题、研究表现及演变情况，以了解当前状态下的语料库。
采用回顾性观察文献计量分析，使用PRISMA检索策略（2023年8月）检查科学网出版物，以了解学科、增长领域和产出的相互关联性、方向和交叉性。精心挑选的短语和以疾病为重点的分类将研究锚定在糖尿病周围神经病变上。定性和定量方法分析出版物元数据（作者、引用、关键词），以绘制关键概念和科学发展情况。
对589条记录（1991 - 2023年）的分析显示，观察性研究是主要设计类型。突出的概念包括风险、多发性神经病变和患病率，各专业领域的作者更倾向于使用通俗易懂的术语（周围神经病变）。主要研究中心位于英国、丹麦、美国、卡塔尔、德国和意大利。《糖尿病医学》和《糖尿病护理》仍然是被引用次数最多的期刊，而《国际分子科学杂志》《细胞干细胞》和《自然综述：神经病学》提供了当代见解。2016年后，方法的严谨性和客观性有所提高。
反复出现的主题包括加强临床前筛查、实现更早诊断、通过优化药物进行疼痛管理分层以及可重复性挑战。病例对照研究越来越多地取代了大型前瞻性纵向研究设计，以提高诊断测试的准确性和糖尿病神经病变的检测率，特别是对于影响小神经纤维的神经性疼痛。分子方法变得更加突出，这表明从纯粹基于临床的方法发生了转变。语料库通过优先考虑客观性来应对主观性和可变的诊断标准。对离子通道病和线粒体功能障碍的新见解可能会改进当前的评估/筛查方法，以完善风险分层和管理策略。
