Global Bibliometric Visualization of Epidermal Growth Factor in Wound Healing: A Comprehensive Literature Search.

Abstract

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is essential for both wound repair and the maintenance of healthy tissues. Numerous bibliometric studies have been published on wound healing; however, none have focused on EGF in wound healing. This study comprehensively analyzed scientific publications on the role of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) in wound healing. The analysis encompassed publications indexed in the Scopus database from 1972 to 2024, retrieved using a broad range of relevant keywords. Network analysis and visualization were subsequently conducted using VOSviewer (v. 1.6.20) to map research trends and identify research hotspots. My examination of the Scopus database identified 3122 articles on the use of EGF in wound healing published over the past 48 years (1972-2024). Most of these publications were research articles (n = 2812; 90.07%), followed by review articles (n = 244; 7.82%). The number of publications on the use of EGF in wound healing has increased significantly (R²=0.9449; p < 0.001) over the years. This study revealed that, during the past ten years, there has been an increasing amount of global research on the relationship between EGF and wound healing. The effectiveness and clinical applications of human EGF and EGFR signaling in cancer-related wound healing were the main topics of our study, which focused on EGF and wound healing overall. To improve patient outcomes and enhance the efficacy of wound healing, particularly in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, this bibliometric analysis emphasizes the importance of ongoing research and collaboration in this field.Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .