SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Med.
Sec. Intensive Care Medicine and Anesthesiology
Visual Analysis of Early Mobilization Research in Patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis: A Citespace-Based Study
Yuwei Zhang
Qi Xiao
Miqi Li
Juan Deng
Jie Xiong
Mengyao Jiang
Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Abstract
Objective:To map the knowledge structure and evolution of early mobilization research in patients with lower extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT), analyze current trends and research hotspots, and provide insights for developing precise, nurse-driven activity management protocols. Methods:Literature published from January 2000 to June 2025 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace 6.3 software was used to perform co-citation network analysis, keyword clustering, and burst detection on authors, institutions, and keywords. The quality of clustering was assessed using modularity (Q value) and mean silhouette (S value) metrics. Results:A total of 933 articles were included. The annual publication output on early mobilization in DVT patients demonstrated a three-phase growth pattern. The United States was the dominant contributor, while collaboration among institutions was relatively loose. The top five prolific and co-cited authors were all clinical guideline developers, with no representation from the nursing field. Research hotspots evolved from surgical procedures (2000-2005) to critical care (2015-2020), and subsequently to precise risk prevention (2020-2025). A clear distinction exists between cancer-related and non-cancer research clusters. Conclusion:Research on early mobilization in DVT patients is expanding rapidly. However, geographical distribution is uneven, inter-institutional collaboration is weak, and the participation of nursing scholars is insufficient. Future efforts should strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and focus on developing bedside decision-support tools executable by nurses to achieve precise, safe, and standardized early mobilization management during the acute phase of DVT.
Summary
Keywords
Bibliometrics, Decision Support, deep vein thrombosis, Early mobilization, Nursing Care, visual analysis
Received
20 November 2025
Accepted
28 January 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Zhang, Xiao, Li, Deng, Xiong and Jiang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Qi Xiao
Disclaimer
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