Research status, hotspots, and frontiers in functional abdominal pain syndrome: A bibliometric and visual analysis

Background: Functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS) is a relatively uncommon functional gastrointestinal disorder. Recent years have witnessed substantial advancements in the study of FAPS; however, no bibliometric analyses have been conducted to date. Objective: This study systematically reviews current research and emerging issues in the field of FAPS using bibliometric methods to understand research trends and future development prospects. Methods: The foundational literature in the field of FAPS was sourced from the Web of Science database. Visual analysis was performed using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software, focusing on factors such as the number of published papers, countries (regions), research institutions, journals, authors, highly cited papers, and keywords. Results: From 1996 to 2025, 996 publications were analyzed, showing a phased growth in annual publication volume peaking in 2021. The United States led in publications and centrality. The “Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition” had the highest publication count. Marc A. Benninga authored the most articles, notably “Functional Disorders: Children and Adolescents.” The prevalent keyword was “children.” Research on FAPS focuses on evolving disease definitions, the “brain–gut interaction disorder” paradigm, the microbiota–gut–brain axis, children with irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain, and nonpharmaceutical therapies like probiotics, dietary interventions, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Pediatric populations and non-pharmacological interventions were the most prominent themes, whereas adult-specific research and biomarker-related studies appeared less frequently. Conclusion: This bibliometric study identified key research areas including the microbiota–gut–brain axis, pediatric populations, and non-pharmacological interventions, alongside emerging topics such as gut–brain interaction disorders. These findings suggest that future research should prioritize large-scale trials validating non-pharmacological therapies and biomarkers for central sensitization. Clinically, the development of age-specific diagnostic protocols and interdisciplinary management teams integrating gastroenterology, neurology, and psychology is warranted to improve patient outcomes.