Trends, Hotspots, and Future Directions of Inflammation in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A 20-Year Bibliometric Analysis

Background: Inflammation significantly impacts the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the primary cause of vision loss in the elderly. With the aging global population and increasing incidence of AMD, understanding the inflammation-related mechanisms and identifying potential therapeutic targets have become paramount. This study aims to offer a bibliometric analysis of global research contributions focused on inflammation in AMD, shedding light on research trends, collaborations, and future directions. Methods We retrieved publications related to inflammation in AMD from 2003 to 2023 from the Web of Science Core Collection database. A total of 2044 articles were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R-bibliometrix to examine publication trends, influential countries, institutions, authors, and journals, as well as emerging research topics. Results Our analysis revealed a steady global increase in annual publications. The United States and China emerged as leading contributors, demonstrating substantial collaboration and investment in AMD research. Among institutions, the National Eye Institute in the United States and the University of Eastern Finland stood out for their prolific contributions. Key researchers such as K. Kaarniranta have been central to advancing the field, offering potential collaboration opportunities. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science and Experimental Eye Research were identified as the top journals publishing significant work on inflammation in AMD. Keywords such as “oxidative stress,” “complement” “autophagy,” “macrophage,” and “microglia” were frequently mentioned, highlighting these as current research hotspots. Conclusion This analysis underscores the importance of inflammation in AMD and maps the evolution of research, suggesting future directions that may offer new therapeutic strategies.