Table 2. Studies investigating the potential association between breast implants and connective tissue disease.
| Authors | Year of publication | Country | Article classification | Sample size | Follow-up | Conclusion on silicone implants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connective tissue disease | ||||||
| Tugwell et al. | 2001 | USA | Systematic review | N/A | N/A | No evidence to support association between silicone implants and CTD |
| Holmich et al. | 2003 | Denmark | Retrospective cohort | 238 | Not stated | No association between implant rupture and CTD |
| Fryzek et al. | 2007 | Denmark | Retrospective cohort | 2,761 | Not sated | Unrelated to the development of CTD |
| Holmich et al. | 2007 | Denmark | Literature review | N/A | N/A | No association between implant rupture and CTD |
| Lipworth et al. | 2011 | USA | Systematic review | N/A | N/A | Slightly elevated risk of self-reported combined CTD |
| Balk et al. | 2016 | USA | Systematic review | 32 studies | Not stated | Inconclusive evidence about association with long-term health outcomes |
| Singh et al. | 2017 | USA | Retrospective cohort | 55,279 | 5–8 years | No increased risk of systemic disease |
| Corneos et al. | 2018 | USA | Retrospective cohort | 99,993 | 2–7 years | Associated with increased risk of Sjögren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma |
Outlines key articles since 2000 that review the risk of connective tissue disease in patients with breast implants. CTD, connective tissue disease; N/A, not available.