Research trends and emerging topics in gut microbiota-derived metabolites and diabetic kidney disease: a multi-database bibliometric analysis (2014–2025)

Objective Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease. The gut-kidney axis has highlighted the potential involvement of gut microbial metabolites in the development and progression of DKD. This study aimed to systematically characterize the knowledge structure, research hotspots, collaboration networks, and emerging trends at the intersection of DKD and gut microbial metabolites from 2014 to 2025 using a multidatabase bibliometric approach. Methods The Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were systematically searched from database inception to December 31, 2025, using a combination of controlled vocabulary and free-text terms. Only original articles and reviews published in English were included. Two investigators independently performed study screening, data extraction, and quality control, with disagreements resolved by a third investigator. Visualization analyses were conducted using VOSviewer (v1.6.20), CiteSpace (v6.4.1), Bibliometrix (v5.4.1), and Scimago Graphica (v1.0.49). Results 222 publications (150 articles and 72 reviews) were included, involving 22 countries, 268 institutions, and 1,428 authors. China had the highest publication output, contributing 163 of the 222 included publications (73.42%), H-index (39), and the distribution of leading institutions and authors, but had a lower average citation count per item (ACI) than Australia (104.71) and Denmark (50.67). Zhejiang Chinese Medical University was the most productive institution (11 publications). Keyword co-occurrence, clustering, and burst analyses showed that metabolite-centered themes involving TMAO, SCFAs, IS, and pCS were prominent, while the temporal emergence of non-search-derived terms such as “tryptophan metabolism” and “AMPK signaling pathway” suggested increasing attention to upstream metabolic processes and downstream molecular mechanisms. Conclusion Over the past five years, publication output in the field of DKD and gut microbial metabolites has increased substantially. Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in China demonstrated strong research productivity. Jin Juan had the highest publication count (six publications), closely followed by several authors with five publications. Frontiers in Pharmacology and Frontiers in Endocrinology were among the most frequent publication venues. Current research themes include associations between gut-derived uremic toxins and renal injury, the potential renoprotective roles of SCFAs, candidate metabolite biomarkers for DKD phenotyping and risk stratification, and interventions targeting microbial metabolic functions. Multicenter longitudinal studies and standardized clinical trials are needed to further validate the clinical relevance and translational potential of these research directions.