Scientometrics
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Hepatol. Feb 27, 2025; 17(2): 103016
Published online Feb 27, 2025. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v17.i2.103016
Liver function linked to bone health: A bibliometric of the liver-bone axis
Wei-Jin Zhang, Xun-Pei Xu, Xin-Hua Song, Zhan-Rong Zhang, Xuan-Rui Zhang, Biao Yang, Zheng-Bo Tao, Zheng Zhang, Xu-Hui Zhou
Wei-Jin Zhang, Xun-Pei Xu, Zhan-Rong Zhang, Xuan-Rui Zhang, Biao Yang, Zheng-Bo Tao, Zheng Zhang, Xu-Hui Zhou, Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200003, China
Xin-Hua Song, Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200003, China
Zheng Zhang, Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Qingdao Special Servicemen Recuperation Center of People’s Liberation Army Navy, Qingdao 266000, Shandong Province, China
Xu-Hui Zhou, Translational Research Center of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201600, China
Co-first authors: Wei-Jin Zhang and Xun-Pei Xu.
Co-corresponding authors: Zheng Zhang and Xu-Hui Zhou.
Author contributions: Zhang WJ and Zhou XH designed the study; Zhang WJ and Xu XP contributed to the data collection and collation, they contributed equally to this article, they are the co-first authors of this manuscript; Song XH, Zhang ZR, Zhang XR, and Yang B participated in the visualization and analysis of data; Zhang WJ and Zhang Z drafted the manuscript; Zhang WJ, Tao ZB, Zhang Z, and Zhou XH supervised the implementation of the study; Zhou XH contributed to funding acquisition, project administration; Zhang Z and Zhou XH contributed equally to this article, they are the co-corresponding authors of this manuscript; and all authors thoroughly reviewed and endorsed the final manuscript.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82172516 and No. 82372434.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xu-Hui Zhou, Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), No. 415 Fengyang Road, Shanghai 200003, China. zhouxuhui@smmu.edu.cn
Received: November 10, 2024
Revised: January 1, 2025
Accepted: January 21, 2025
Published online: February 27, 2025
Processing time: 103 Days and 21.2 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

The liver exerts profound influence on skeletal health, while osseous tissues reciprocally modulate hepatic function. This bidirectional metabolic axis between these two organ systems plays a pivotal role in both physiological homeostasis and pathological states.

AIM

To investigate and analyze the literatures on liver-bone axis using bibliometrics.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search pertaining to the liver-bone axis was conducted using the Science Citation Index Expanded within the Web of Science Core Collection. Subsequently, visualization and bibliometric analyses were performed utilizing VOSviewer (version 1.6.20), Citespace (version 6.2.R4), and the R programming language.

RESULTS

This comprehensive analysis encompasses 855 publications, comprising 694 articles and 161 reviews, authored by 4988 researchers from 425 institutions across 61 countries. The United States and China emerge as the leading nations in terms of publication volume. The University of California system stands out as the most influential institution in liver-bone axis research. Guanabens N is identified as the most prolific author in this field. The annual increase in publications related to the liver-bone axis underscores its growing prominence as a research focus. The study highlights key areas of investigation, including osteoporosis, bone metabolism, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and insulin-like growth factor-1, which represent both current and prospective hot topics within this domain.

CONCLUSION

This investigation employs bibliometric methodologies to conduct a systematic analysis of liver-bone axis literature spanning from 2001 to 2024. The exponential growth in publications over the past two decades underscores the significance of synthesizing research outcomes in this domain. Through rigorous statistical analyses, we delineate fundamental contributions to the field while providing strategic direction for emerging scholars. Furthermore, we illuminate current research trajectories and identify promising future investigative directions. Investigation of the liver-bone axis enhances our comprehension of inter-organ communication networks. Conceptualizing these organs as an integrated system provides profound insights into pathophysiological mechanisms and disease management strategies. This paradigm not only facilitates the development of sophisticated diagnostic modalities but also catalyzes the discovery of novel therapeutic agents targeting these mechanistic pathways, thereby advancing our capacity to diagnose and treat hepatic and skeletal disorders.

Keywords: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Bone metabolism; Liver; Osteoporosis; Citespace; VOSviewer

Core Tip: This investigation employs bibliometric methodologies to conduct a systematic analysis of liver-bone axis literature. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease demonstrates particularly strong citation, which is poised to remain a central focus in future investigations of the liver-bone axis. Our research offers insights into inter-organ communication, which may inspire new approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic and skeletal disorders.