Table 2 Characteristics of included studies
Author Year Country | Study design | Study duration (years) Follow-up (mean number of months) | Study groups; Intervention and control treatment | Patients (n) | Mean age (years) | Mean BMI | Smokers (n, %) | Definition of breast hypertrophy | Resection weight, g (mean) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Araujo 2014 Brazil [40] | RCT (cost-utility) | SD: NR FU: 6 | I: Breast reduction; conventional technique (inverted T-shaped scar and medial pedicle technique in most patients) C1: No treatment | 60 I: 30 C: 30 BMI >30 excluded) | I:32 C:35.5 (median) | I: 26.4 C: 26.3 (median) | NR | Classification by Sacchini et al | 1200 |
Beraldo 2016 Brazil [41] | RCT (same RCT as above) | As above | As above | As above | As above | As above | NR | As above | As above |
Freire 2007 Brazil [37] | RCT | SD: NR FU: 6 | I: Breast reduction; rigid outlining, transferring to opposite breast, preservation of papillary-areola complex using fatty dermal pedicle. Inverted T-shaped scar C1: Waiting list for reduction mammaplasty 6 months later | 100 I: 50 C: 50 BMI> 30 excluded) | 31.95 | 25.56 | 0 | NR | 1052.19 |
Neto 2008 Brazil [36] | RCT (same RCT as above) | SD: 2.08 FU: 6 | As above | As above | As above | As above | 0 | NR | As above |
Iwuagwu 2006 UK [39] | RCT | SD: 1.67 FU: 4 | I: Bilateral breast reduction with an inferior pedicle C2: Physiotherapist-instructed upper body exercise 3 times/week while on wait list for surgery | 73 I: 36 C: 37 No restriction related to BMI | 39.15 | 28.5 | NR | Bra cup size E or more in conjunction with symptoms in the upper body associated with mammary hypertrophy | NR |
Iwuagwu 2006 UK [31] | RCT (same RCT as above) | As above | As above | 73 I: 40 C: 73 | As above | As above | NR | As above | NR |
Saarinemi 2008 Finland [34] | RCT | SD: NR FU: 6.35 | I: Breast reduction C1: Waiting list | 82 I: 40 C: 42 No restriction related to BMI | 46.35 | 29.65 | NR | NR | 670 |
Saarinemi 2009 Finland [57] | RCT (same RCT as above) | As above | As above | As above | As above | As above | NR | NR | As above |
Andrade 2018 Brazil [42] | Non-randomized controlled study | SD: 1 FU: 6–12 | I: Breast reduction C1: Waiting list | 100 I: 50 C: 50 BMI < 30 | I: 33 C: 31 (median) | I: 27 C: 26 (median) | NR | “By the criteria by Sacchini et al. and Franco & Rebello” | 1107 |
Hermans 2005 Netherlands [43] | Non-randomized controlled study | SD: 2 FU: 25.4 (mean, intervention group) | I: Breast reduction, modified Strömbäck procedure with mediocranial pedicle C1: Waiting list | 165 I:94 C:71 BMI < 30 | 37.3 | 25.65 | NR | Cup size D or above | 536 |
Janik 2019 Poland [62] | Non-randomized controlled study | SD: 0.25 months FU: 23.56 (mean) | I: Breast reduction C1: Waiting list | 102 I:75 C: 27 | 38 | 27.5 | 24% | NR | NR |
Fairchild 2020 USA [32] | Case series | SD: 7 FU: 1 | I: Breast reduction | 283 (not obese, (BMI < 30);Not included because BMI < 35 not separately reported: 259 (obese, BMI > 30, range 32–38) | 17 (median) | 26 (median) | NR | NR | NR |
Nelson 2014 USA [33] | Case series | SD; 7 FU: 1 | I: Breast reduction | 2074 (BMI < 30); 1308 (BMI 30–34.9) | NR | NR | 10% | NR | NR |
Simpson 2019 USA [49] | Case series | SD: 10 FU: 1 | I: Breast reduction | 8180 (BMI < 30); 4656 (BMI 30.1–35) | NR (solely reported for total cohort) | NR (solely reported for total cohort) | NR | NR | NR |
Shakespeare 1999 UK [38] | Qualitative | SD: 2,75 FU: 24 | I: Breast reduction | 110 | 35 | NR | NR | NR | NR |