Breaking the vicious cycle: a bibliometric and visual analysis of the bidirectional relationship between pruritus and negative emotions.

Background: Pruritus is a common skin symptom, frequently associated with substantial psychological burden. Recent advances in neuroscience and clinical practice suggest a clinically significant reciprocal association between chronic pruritus and negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and depression), moving beyond simple models of causality. Despite increasing research interest, this interdisciplinary field still lacks a comprehensive bibliometric overview. Therefore, this study aims to systematically visualize the research landscape and identify emerging hotspots, underexplored areas, and translational priorities regarding the pruritus-emotion interplay. Methods: Literature data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) and supplemented with targeted PubMed clinical trials published from January 1, 1980, to May 31, 2026. WoSCC records served as the main bibliometric dataset, whereas PubMed clinical trials were screened according to predefined eligibility criteria and used as a supplementary clinical-trial dataset. The final included records and records excluded after full-text assessment were verified by a second reviewer. Advanced bibliometric tools, including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Charticulator and Bibliometrix were used to evaluate collaboration networks, co-citation relationships, and keyword evolution. Results: A total of 2549 publications from WoSCC and 46 clinical trials from PubMed were included. The United States exhibited absolute advantages in publication volume, citation influence, and international cooperation. The leading institutions were mainly located in North America and Europe, including the University of Toronto, University of Miami, and Wroclaw Medical University. Szepietowski J.C., Yosipovitch G., and Ständer S. were the most productive authors, while Yosipovitch G. and Silverberg J.I. occupied central positions in the co-citation network. The supplementary PubMed clinical trial analysis indicated that targeted pharmacological therapies were more frequently represented than psychological, behavioral, or integrative interventions. The integrated findings identified five interrelated themes: anxiety and depression as the principal emotional constructs, the crucial implementation of multidimensional patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), sleep and cognitive amplifiers, targeted and integrative care, and skin-brain axis mechanisms. Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis provides a structured overview of the research landscape on pruritus and negative emotions. By revealing emerging trends and future research priorities, this study serves as a valuable reference for scholars and clinicians exploring interdisciplinary interventions to break this vicious cycle.