New findings have identified several conditions that frequently co-occur with keloid and hypertrophic scars, including atopic eczema, hypertension, musculoskeletal disease, and pain.
The findings come from a paper published in JAMA Dermatology.
Researchers from the School of Immunology & Microbial Sciences and St John’s Institute of Dermatology at King’s College London in the U.K. used data from the UK Biobank to identify these comorbidities.
As well, they found that the likelihood of these conditions co-occurring with excessive scarring may be different depending on the person’s ethnicity. For example, they found that associations with hypertension and fibroids were more likely in Black participants.
The authors suggest that the co-occurrence of these conditions hints there may be common mechanisms and perhaps even causal biological relationships that merit further research. It may also be that their findings could help with the early identification of internal problems associated with visible skin scarring.
“Our study highlights the breadth of valuable information that can be gained from studying UK Biobank data,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Chuin Ying Ung, in a press release. “However, we also observed important gaps in current electronic health records, which if addressed would benefit wider research in dermatology and beyond.”
Dr. Ung is the Dermatology Registrar and a Clinical Research Fellow at King's College London.