Osteoarthritis and Vitamin D - review of 400 studies - Dec 2025
Bibliometric and Visualized Analysis of the Global Research Status and Trends of the Association Between Vitamin D and Osteoarthritis in the Last Two DecadesJournal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2025:18 7779-7795 7779
Zongyou Yang1, Michael Tim-Yun Ong 2’3, Rex Wang-Fung Mak3, Jonathan Patrick Ng3,Hongyu Meng1, Zhihong Wang 1 - China
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease affecting many individuals worldwide. The relationship between vitamin D and OA has recently attracted attention from researchers, as the available data concerning the influence of vitamin D on OA progression are controversial. Here, we conducted a visualized analysis of the world research trends on vitamin D and OA from 2005 to 2024.
Methods: A search was conducted to identify papers published between 2005 and 2024 in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. A total of 400 publications on vitamin D and OA were included and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. We reported the annual publication trends, leading countries, institutions, and authors. Co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword bursts were analyzed further to determine research foci and evolving trends.
Results: The volume of publications consistently increased, peaking in 2021. The United States was the leading country (70 publications), followed by China (49) and the United Kingdom (). The high centralities of Harvard University and Monash University highlight their strong role in international collaboration. Ding Changhai, Jones Graeme, and Wluka Anita were the most productive authors. “Vitamin D Deficiency” was found to be most influential. Five clusters were identified. Further analysis revealed the current interest in and future research directions related to the roles of vitamin D in OA.
Conclusion: Publication volume on vitamin D and OA increased steadily in the last two decades. Research focus evolved from basic bone metabolism to specific vitamin D metabolites and inflammation mechanisms. Investigations continue into vitamin D’s role in specific OA phenotypes and inflammatory pathways. The underrepresentation of low and middle-income countries represents a critical research gap. Recent research explores vitamin D’s potential for managing OA symptoms, with future work likely focusing on its biochemical and clinical effects in OA treatment.