ArticlePlastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2025
Comparative Efficacy and Recurrence of Combination Therapies in Keloid Management: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.
Article in Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Adjuvant Radiotherapy Following Surgical Excision of Keloids: A Systematic Review of Dose, Fractionation, and Recurrence.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Advances in the interplay between mechanical forces and inflammatory immunity in keloid formation.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Combination therapies are increasingly recognized in keloid management, which has been challenging due to high recurrence and variable individual responses. This Network Meta-Analysis (NMA) aimed to identify the most effective combinations with the lowest recurrence rates. Methods: The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024594922). Relevant Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) evaluating all combination therapies for keloid were extracted from Cochrane, PubMed, and Scopus, until January 7, 2025. Results: A total of 1398 cases from 22 RCTs comparing different treatment combinations for keloid were included. The NMA revealed that only combinations involving Triamcinolone Acetonide (TAC) and 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) displayed significantly higher efficacy than TAC monotherapy: TAC + 5-FU + Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) (RR 2.98; 95% CI: 1.26 to 7.02) and TAC + 5-FU (RR 1.43; 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.93). The lowest recurrence rates were found in TAC + bleomycin (RR 0.04; 95% CI: 0.00 to 0.84) and TAC + 5-FU + brachytherapy (RR 0.23; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.73). No other combinations showed statistically significant differences. Funnel plot analysis revealed no publication bias. Conclusions: Combination therapies, particularly TAC + 5-FU with PDL or brachytherapy, and TAC + bleomycin, outperform TAC alone in efficacy and recurrence reduction. These findings support tailored, multimodal approaches for optimal keloid management and improved patient outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.