Global trends and hotspots in diabetes and hearing loss: a 20-year systematic bibliometric study

Abstract

Background Diabetes and hearing loss are increasingly recognized as critical global public health concerns. Cumulative evidence indicates a close association between diabetes and auditory impairment; however, the knowledge structure, research hotspots, and developmental trends in this field remain insufficiently and systematically characterized. This systematic bibliometric review aims to comprehensively map the global research landscape, collaboration patterns, knowledge structure, thematic evolution, and emerging research frontiers regarding diabetes and hearing loss over the past two decades. Methods A systematic bibliometric review was conducted on publications related to diabetes and hearing loss. Relevant studies published between 2006 and 2025 were systematically retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases based on predefined search strategies and eligibility criteria. After database merging, deduplication, and eligibility assessment, a total of 1,622 publications were included in the final analysis. VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Bibliometrix were employed to analyze annual publication output, collaboration networks, core journals, keyword co-occurrence, thematic evolution, co-citation patterns, and citation bursts. Results Research on diabetes and hearing loss presents a sustained upward growth trend and has gradually evolved into a multidisciplinary field covering otology, endocrinology, neurology, geriatrics, genetics, and molecular biology. The United States occupies a core position in the global research collaboration network, while institutions across North America and Europe contribute predominantly to knowledge production in this domain. Keyword and citation burst analyses identify hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, sensorineural hearing loss, and Wolfram syndrome as the core research topics of the field. Research priorities have progressively shifted from investigations on syndromic and mitochondrial disorders to explorations of age-related hearing loss, modifiable risk factors, cognitive impairment, older adult populations, precision medicine, and inflammation-associated mechanistic mechanisms. Conclusion Over the past two decades, research on diabetes and hearing loss has achieved substantial expansion and continuous interdisciplinary integration. The research field has transitioned from early focuses on syndromic and mitochondrial disorders to a broader and more clinically practical framework that covers epidemiological associations, risk stratification, aging, cognitive impairment, and precision medicine. These findings clarify the developmental trajectory and emerging research priorities of this field and can guide future mechanistic research, early screening formulation, and targeted intervention development.