Global research trends of cell death in diabetic cardiomyopathy from 2000 to 2024: a bibliometric analysis and integrative overview

Objective Over recent years, the exploration of cell death mechanisms has become a central focus in the investigation of the pathogenesis and therapeutic prospects of diabetic cardiomyopathy. The purpose of this study was to delineate the current landscape of cell death research in diabetic cardiomyopathy using a bibliometric approach, and to provide an integrative overview of the major cell death pathways implicated in this condition, thereby offering valuable insights and academic resources, aiming to promote further research and advancements in associated disciplines. Methods A bibliometric analysis was conducted on diabetic cardiomyopathy-associated cell death. Publications derived from the Web of Science Core Collection were exported in full-text format and examined using CiteSpace 6.2 R4 and VOSviewer v.1.6.18. Results A total of 1,535 records satisfying the specified criteria were identified. During the first nine years, publication output was relatively low; however, there was a significant increase in the number of publications in both 2021 and 2024. China and Wenzhou Medical University led the research on cell death within diabetic cardiomyopathy, which encompassed 72 countries and 1,487 institutions. The author with the most published works was Cai Lu while the most cited author was Jia GH. Circulation Research was the journal with the highest number of co-citations. The most frequently appearing keywords included oxidative stress, apoptosis, activation, mechanisms, and heart failure. The extracted keywords were mainly associated with diabetic cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular disease, NLRP3, heart failure, and diabetes mellitus. Conclusion The growing recognition of cell death as a potential therapeutic target in diabetic cardiomyopathy is reflected in a notable surge in pertinent research articles. This increase has established cell death as an important and evolving domain of study in the field. Beyond the bibliometric trends, the integrative discussion presented herein synthesizes the roles of multiple cell death mechanisms—including apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, and others—in the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy, offering a conceptual framework for future mechanistic and therapeutic investigations.