Jiajing Yu,1,2,* Kai Xia,1,* Jiaming Feng,2,* Zehui Xu,2,* Zhuoyue Zhang,2,* Guanyi Xiao,1 Huici Zhu,2 Wenlong Xue,3 Fengxi Chen,4 Xiaotong Xie1 

1Bengbu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Bengbu, Anhui, 233080, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anatomy, School of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Research and Development, Bloomage Biotechnology (Hainan) Co., Ltd., Key Laboratory of Regenerative Medicine Technology and Material Transformation of Hainan Province, Hainan, 570100, People’s Republic of China; 4Jinxi People’s Hospital of Kunshan City, Geriatric Hospital of Kunshan City, Suzhou, 215324, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Fengxi Chen, Jinxi People’s Hospital of Kunshan City, Geriatric Hospital of Kunshan City, Hospital Lane, Changshou Road, Suzhou, 215324, People’s Republic of China, Email jxcfx@qq.com Xiaotong Xie, Bengbu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, 4339 Huai Shang Avenue, Bengbu, Anhui, 233080, People’s Republic of China, Email 939230531@qq.com

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) hold considerable therapeutic potential for diabetes mellitus (DM). Over the past few decades, substantial progress has been made in miRNA-related diabetes research; however, comprehensive bibliometric analyses in this field remain limited. This study aims to comprehensively review the research status of miRNAs in DM, including the contributions of countries, institutions, authors and published journals, and explore the latest progress, research hotspots, and future trends.
Methods: Bibliometric analysis was conducted using CiteSpace and VOSviewer by searching relevant literature in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC). With 5197 relevant publications retrieved from January 1, 2003, to October 31, 2023, the field of miRNAs in DM witnessed a generally upward trend in global publications.
Results: Global publications on miRNAs in DM showed a sustained upward trajectory. China led in publication output and influence, likely linked to its high DM prevalence. Cluster analysis identified diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy as primary research foci among co-cited studies. Keyword analysis emphasizes the top 10 words like miRNA, expression, biomarker, insulin resistance, diabetes, diabetes nephropathy, apoptosis, cell, and oxidative stress.
Conclusion: Research on miRNAs in DM has grown significantly, with emphasis on understanding pathogenesis and identifying therapeutic targets. This field will be further studied and translated into clinical practice in the future.

Keywords: microRNAs, diabetes mellitus, bibliometric analysis, T1DM, T2DM, diabetic complications