The evolution of calcium alginate–based dressings in wound healing: A comprehensive bibliometric review of the top 100 cited studies

Abstract

Calcium alginate, a naturally derived polysaccharide from brown seaweed, has gained significant prominence in advanced wound care technologies. Despite its widespread application, there is a need for a bibliometric analysis to map the scientific advancements and thematic evolution in the field. To conduct a bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited papers on calcium alginate wound dressings to identify key contributors, collaborative networks, prominent themes, and trends in citation impact. The Scopus database was utilized for its broad multidisciplinary coverage. A search string “(wound dressing) AND (calcium alginate)” was applied to the Title, Abstract, and Keywords fields without time restrictions. Only articles and reviews were included. The analysis involved two phases: (1) a general examination of all retrieved publications for productive authors, institutions, countries, sponsors, and sources; and (2) an in-depth analysis of the top 100 most cited papers using VOSviewer and the bibliometrix package in R Studio. Co-authorship, citation networks, keyword co-occurrences, and citation metrics were visualized and statistically analyzed. From a total of 330 publications identified, the United States (57 publications), the United Kingdom (54), and China (46) emerged as leading contributors. Key institutions included Donghua University (9 publications) and Chulalongkorn University (5 publications). Prominent funding sources were the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20 publications) and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (6 publications). The International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, the International Wound Journal, and the British Journal of Plastic Surgery were frequently cited sources. The top 100 cited papers, spanning 1983-2023, demonstrated peaks in citation impact in 2014 and 2015, with mean citations per article exceeding 270. Co-word analysis revealed evolving research themes over decades, highlighting foundational and innovative contributions. This comprehensive analysis may provide valuable insights into the thematic evolution and emerging trends, serving as a foundation for future research in wound care technologies.