Fan Song, Ding Long, Xiaoling Wu

Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Ding Long, Email ldwhzxyy@163.com

Background: Crush syndrome (CS) is a severe, potentially fatal condition resulting from prolonged muscle compression, most commonly observed following disasters such as earthquakes and large-scale traumatic events. Despite its clinical significance, there has been a lack of comprehensive bibliometric analysis exploring global research trends, collaboration networks, and emerging topics in CS research.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection to identify publications on CS from 2000 to 2025. Bibliometric analysis was performed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package “Bibliometrix” to visualize co-authorship networks, institutional collaborations, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Only English-language articles were included. Data were analyzed for publication trends, country and institutional contributions, leading authors and journals, and evolving research themes.
Results: A total of 745 publications were included, demonstrating a consistent annual increase in research output. The United States, China, and Turkey were the most productive countries. Ghent University and Istanbul University were the leading institutions. Sever MS was identified as a major contributor to the field. Injury-International Journal of the Care of the Injured emerged as the most contributed journal. The most frequent research topics were acute kidney injury, disaster-related management, and pediatric aspects. Keyword and citation burst analysis revealed a historical focus on disaster epidemiology, with recent trends shifting toward clinical complications such as acute compartment syndrome and nerve-related conditions, as well as mechanistic studies including ferroptosis.
Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of global CS research, highlighting evolving hotspots, emerging themes, and key contributors. These findings may inform future research directions and support improved clinical management of CS.

Keywords: crush syndrome, bibliometric analysis, collaborative networks, trauma medicine, intensive care unit