Evolution of Research Frontiers and Hotspots in Acupuncture Therapy for Asthma: A Bibliometric Analysis (1975–2024)

Introduction: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease with potential side effects from conventional treatments. This study analyzed research trends and collaborations in acupuncture as a complementary therapy for asthma. Methods: A literature search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) for English-language publications on acupuncture and asthma from 1975 to 2024. Data on publication counts, citations, authors, institutions, countries, and journals were collected. Bibliometric indicators were computed using Microsoft Excel, with visualization tools like VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R packages including bibliometrix. Results: An analysis of 247 publications from 1,201 researchers across 909 institutions in 41 countries was conducted, prominently featuring work from China Medical University Taiwan and the University of California Los Angeles. China led with 83 articles, followed by the USA and Germany. Notable authors included Benno Brinkhaus and Wei Ying. Influential journals such as the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Acupuncture in Medicine highlighted their pivotal roles in clinical acupuncture research. The journal Allergy attained the highest citation impact. The predominant keywords were “asthma,” “acupuncture,” and “prevalence,” reflecting the increasing studies on acupuncture’s mechanisms and its integration with conventional treatments. Conclusion: This analysis emphasizes the growing global interest in acupuncture for asthma and the need for further research on its mechanisms.