Research progress and trends of gut microbiota and lung injury: a bibliometric and visualization analysis based on two databases (2015–2026)

Abstract

Gut microbiota has emerged as an important regulator of lung injury, but the field's research structure, hotspots and emerging directions remain unclear. This study mapped the development and knowledge landscape of gut microbiota and lung injury research. Publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and Scopus from 2015 to May 2026 were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace and Bibliometrix. Publication output increased markedly, particularly after 2019, with China and Fudan University leading national and institutional contributions, respectively. Frontiers in Immunology was a major publication and citation hub. Keyword patterns highlighted inflammation, the gut-lung axis, immune regulation, mouse models and sepsis. Major research themes included microbiota-mediated regulation of pulmonary immunity, the protective effects of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and microbiota-targeted interventions involving probiotics and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The field remains dominated by mechanistic and preclinical studies, underscoring the need for standardized methods and clinical validation.