Bibliometric analysis of SGLT2 inhibitor treatment for diabetic kidney disease.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors show significant renoprotective potential for diabetic kidney disease, while comprehensive bibliometric analyses in this field are scarce. This study addressed this gap via a systematic bibliometric analysis, retrieving 2013-2025 relevant articles from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzing them with CiteSpace and VOSviewer. A total of 2,415 articles were included, with annual publications growing exponentially. The United States led in publication volume and citations; the University of Groningen (167 papers) was the top institution, and a mature core-scholar-led research team and collaboration network has formed. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (163 publications) was the most prolific journal. Co-citation analysis identified 7 distinct clusters (autophagy, ketoacidosis, renal growth, finerenone, hypoxia, glomerular filtration rate, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2) and two core directions: drug action mechanisms and clinical treatment strategies. Burst keyword and keyword analyses revealed the research focus shifted from clinical trial design to cardiorenal protective mechanisms, and recently to precision disease management and combination therapies. Future research should strengthen international collaboration, explore SGLT2 inhibitor-mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist synergies, and design innovative clinical trials with region-specific endpoints.