324 - Association Between Keloid/Hypertrophic Scarring and Post-Stroke Contracture Formation; A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objectives: Following a stroke, joint contracture is a complication that can negatively affect function and quality of life. The fibrotic tissue that limits range of motion in joint contracture is primarily composed of dense connective tissue rich in type I collagen, similar to keloids/hypertrophic scars (KHS). This study examines the association of KHS and the formation of joint contracture following stroke.

Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using TriNetX, a deidentified multicenter clinical database. ICD-10 codes were used to identify appropriate study candidates. The control group included those with a history of stroke who had not been diagnosed with KHS. The experimental group included people with both a history of stroke and KHS. Exclusion criteria were a history of spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, joint/muscle contracture, or heterotopic ossification. Patients were propensity matched for age, sex, and race. The primary outcome was development of joint contracture within one year of stroke. Measure of association statistics were used to analyze the groups.

Results: In total, 6,963 stroke survivors in each group were analyzed. Both groups had an average age of 63.7 years, were 50.6% white, and 40.4% male. Those with a history of KHS were significantly more likely to develop joint/muscle contracture following stroke (risk ratio 3.11; p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: More research needs to be done on the link between KHS and joint contracture formation following stroke but this study identifies a potential risk factor for joint contracture formation.