A National Claims Database Case-Matched Cohort Comparison of Breast Implant Illness Symptoms in Women with and Without Breast Implants
A large, controlled comparison using a national claims database, testing whether BII-type symptoms are diagnosed more often in women with implants than in matched women without them.
View original source ↗What this source says
Comparing women with implants to matched women without, the study found a modest but statistically significant difference in symptom diagnoses — and, notably, that not every symptom tracked with implants.
Why it matters
It is one of the few CONTROLLED comparisons in this area, which makes it valuable for honest interpretation: it shows a real but modest difference rather than a dramatic one.
Key findings
- 59.9% of women with implants had at least one listed symptom vs 50.1% of matched women without implants (p<0.001).
- Diagnoses of fatigue, joint pain, anxiety, hair loss, and rash were significantly higher in the implant group.
- Depression and “brain fog” diagnoses were more common in the non-implant group.
- The authors state multi-center studies are needed to understand these associations.
Limitations
Claims-database diagnoses are not the same as verified clinical assessments, and the difference between groups is modest.
What this does not prove
A higher rate of symptom diagnoses is an association — not proof that implants cause the symptoms.
Source / citation
Campbell C, et al. · Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery — Global Open · 2023
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10566782/
- DOI:
- 10.1097/01.GOX.0000992052.97287.20
Last reviewed against the original source: 2026-09-02. Summaries are written in plain language; the original source is authoritative.
Breast Implant Illness Tracker provides education and organizational tools only and does not provide medical diagnosis or treatment.