Trends and Research Hotspots in Biomarkers of Sjögren's Syndrome Over the Past Two Decades: A Data‐Driven Atlas Analysis

BACKGROUND: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder primarily characterized by dry eyes and dry mouth, often involving multiple organ systems. The disease's heterogeneous clinical presentation and the absence of non-invasive, specific biomarkers complicate its diagnosis and prognostic assessment. METHODS: Literature was sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection, and a bibliometric network was constructed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Bibliometrix. This analysis covered countries/regions, institutions, journals, authors, citations, and keywords, offering an overview of SS biomarker research and identifying future directions. RESULTS: A total of 1118 articles on SS biomarkers were analyzed. Publication trends fluctuated over the years, with China and the United States leading in volume and citation frequency. The Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris was the most prolific institution. Among researchers, Xavier Mariette dominated the field, with leading positions in volume of publications, h-index, and total citations. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases emerged as the most influential journal. Over the past two decades, research has expanded significantly, with emerging themes including "DNA methylation," "genes," "interstitial lung disease," and "data-driven," indicating future focus areas such as epigenetics, severe complication biomarkers, and multi-omics studies. CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive view of SS biomarker research, highlighting recent trends and future research directions, offering valuable insights for ongoing studies.