Research Trends and Emerging Themes in Gut Microbiota–Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Research: A Bibliometric Analysis (2014-2025)

Background/Aims: Growing evidence indicates that gut microbiota dysregulation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); yet, a quantitative overview of research activity in this field is lacking. This study aimed to provide a bibliometric analysis of global research trends and thematic evolution concerning gut microbiota and SLE between 2014 and 2025.

Materials and Methods: Relevant publications were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases, and only original research articles and review articles published in English between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2025, were included. Bibliometric analyses were performed using the bibliometrix package in R and CiteSpace to evaluate publication trends, country and institutional contributions, collaboration networks, keyword co-occurrence, and citation burst patterns.

Results: A total of 525 publications were included, comprising 248 original articles and 277 reviews. Annual publication output increased steadily, with accelerated growth after 2019 (annual growth rate of 121.20%), and 91 papers were published in 2025. China and the United States were the main contributors, accounting for more than half of the total publications, with field-normalized contributions of 1.0927 and 1.2268. The Medical University of South Carolina and Zhejiang Chinese Medical University were the most productive institutions (10 articles). Citation burst analysis showed that “Intestinal dysbiosis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus” laid the foundation for research in this field. Keyword analysis indicated a gradual shift from descriptive microbial characterization toward themes related to immune regulation and dysbiosis. In addition, increasing research attention has been directed toward microbiota-based therapeutic approaches in SLE.

Conclusion: Research on gut microbiota in SLE has expanded substantially over the past decade, with an observable shift from association-based studies toward more mechanistic and translational research themes. Distinct regional research emphases were noted, highlighting the potential value of enhanced international and interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing research in this field.

Cite this article as: Yang J, Wang J. Research trends and emerging themes in gut microbiota–systemic lupus erythematosus research: A bibliometric analysis (2014-2025). ArchRheumatol. 2026;41(3):249-257.