Gut Microbiota and Cardiovascular Disease (2005–2025): A Bibliometric and Knowledge-Mapping Analysis
Abstract
Objective: To quantitatively analyze global research trends on the gut microbiota and cardiovascular disease (CVD) from 2005–2025, identifying publication output, core themes, influential articles, and emerging research hotspots. Methods: We retrieved publications related to gut microbiota and CVD from 2005–2025 using standard bibliographic databases. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to evaluate annual output growth, leading journals, country and institutional contributions, author collaborations, citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence patterns. Descriptive statistics and visualization tools were used to map the developmental trajectory and research hotspots of this field. Results: The analysis included a sharp rise in publications over the past two decades, with especially rapid growth after 2015. Collaborative networks highlighted a few key countries and research centers driving the field. Highly cited papers clustered around themes such as microbiota-derived metabolites such as trimethylamine N-oxide, inflammation, and the “gut-heart axis.” Keyword analysis indicated evolving focus from early descriptive studies to recent mechanistic and clinical translational research. Conclusion: Research linking gut microbiota and CVD has expanded exponentially in 2005–2025, transitioning from correlation studies to mechanistic and therapeutic explorations. The bibliometric trends underscore the gut-heart axis as an emerging interdisciplinary domain in cardiovascular research, with potential to inform novel preventive and therapeutic strategies.
References
Chakaroun R, Olsson L, Bäckhed F, 2023, The Potential of Tailoring the Gut Microbiome to Prevent and Treat Cardiometabolic Disease. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 20(4): 217–235.
Nemet I, Li X, Haghikia A, et al., 2023, Atlas of Gut Microbe-Derived Products from Aromatic Amino Acids and Risk of Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality. European Heart Journal, 44(32): 3085–3096.
Molinaro A, Nemet I, Bel Lassen P, et al., 2023, Microbially Produced Imidazole Propionate Is Associated with Heart Failure and Mortality. JACC: Heart Failure, 11(7): 810–821.
Wang M, Li X, Wang Z, et al., 2023, Trimethylamine N-Oxide Is Associated with Long-Term Mortality Risk: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. European Heart Journal, 44(18): 1608–1618.
Zhao J, Zhang Q, Cheng W, et al., 2023, Heart–Gut Microbiota Communication Determines the Severity of Cardiac Injury After Myocardial Ischaemia/Reperfusion. Cardiovascular Research, 119(6): 1390–1402.
Long D, Mao C, Zhang X, et al., 2022, Coronary Heart Disease and Gut Microbiota: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis From 2002 to 2022. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 9: 949859.
Budoff M, De Oliveira Otto M, Li X, et al., 2025, Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO) and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Events in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Scientific Reports, 15(1): 23362.
Li C, Stražar M, Mohamed A, et al., 2024, Gut Microbiome and Metabolome Profiling in Framingham Heart Study Reveals Cholesterol-Metabolizing Bacteria. Cell, 187(8): 1834–1852.
Tang W, Hazen S, 2024, Unraveling the Complex Relationship Between Gut Microbiome and Cardiovascular Diseases. Circulation, 149(20): 1543–1545.
Mamic P, Snyder M, Tang W, 2023, Gut Microbiome-Based Management of Patients with Heart Failure: JACC Review Topic of the Week. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 81(17): 1729–1739.
