Effect of Keloid Properties on Treatment Efficacy: A Systematic Review
Vazula Bekkers1 (MD, PhD), Paul Barsom2 (MD), Qi Yin2 (MD, PhD), Frank Niessen3, Paul van Zuijlen3-6 (MD, PhD), Oren Lapid3-5 (MD, PhD), Martijn van Doorn (MD, PhD)1, Albert Wolkerstorfer2 (MD, PhD)
BACKGROUND
The efficacy of keloid treatment in randomized studies is highly variable. However, no systematic review has been performed to evaluate the effect of different keloid properties on treatment efficacy.
Objective: to identify clinically relevant keloid properties that may influence treatment efficacy.
CONCLUSION
Only a minority of studies specifically addressed keloid properties, which makes comparisons between studies challenging. The authors’ results suggest that keloid location, duration prior to treatment, size, history of recurrence, and severity are clinically relevant keloid properties that affect treatment efficacy. Further studies are crucial to corroborate the authors’ findings, establish a clinically relevant keloid classification, and ultimately develop an evidence-based treatment algorithm that takes these properties into account.
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