Global trends and hotspots of randomized controlled trials in chronic pain therapy (1989–2024): A 35-year bibliometric analysis

Background: Chronic pain persists as a significant global health challenge, underscoring the necessity for effective, evidence-based treatment strategies. This study aims to assess publication trends and identify research hotspots within randomized controlled trials (RCTs) pertaining to chronic pain therapy. Methods: We conducted a bibliometric analysis utilizing data from Web of Science Core Collection, covering the period from January 1989 to September 2024. Eligible studies were extracted from, and analysis was performed by VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R 4.3.3. Results: Our analysis encompassed a total of 4206 publications sourced from 939 journals, authored by 20,068 individuals across 86 countries. The most cited document was “ Clinical importance of changes in chronic pain intensity measured on an 11-point numerical pain rating scale .” The USA led in both publication volume and citation frequency, followed by the UK and Canada. Harvard University emerged as the most prolific institution, with significant contributions from journals such as Pain and Pain Medicine . Notable authors included Moore R. Andrew and Manchikanti Laxmaiah. Keyword analysis revealed research hotspots in “low back pain,” “management,” and “double blind,” while emerging research frontiers included “guidelines” and “hip,” indicating areas for future inquiry. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis of RCTs pertaining to chronic pain therapy elucidated trends and emergent themes within the field. The findings yield significant insights for clinical applications and serve as a reference for prospective research directions in chronic pain management. This analysis reveals a paradigm shift from pharmacological trials to multimodal interventions incorporating psychological outcomes.