Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of propranolol in treating infantile hemangiomas. Methods Ninety children with hemangioma collected from July 2010 to November 2011 were recruited in this study. Oral propranolol was given at a dose of 1.5－2.0 mg/kg per day, and the dose was adjusted according to the growth of body weight. Patients were revisited every month for the observation of appearance of hemangioma. The following parameters, including blood glucose, alanine transarninase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea nitrogen, creatinine, creatine kinase, heart rate, blood pressure, electrocardiogram and ultrasound image of hemangioma, were monitored before and after the administration of propranolol. Results A rapid halt in haemangioma proliferation was seen in 91.1% （82/91） of the patients within 24－48 hours after the administration of propranolol. After 1－10 months of treatment, haemangioma shrunk by 0－25% with a lightening of lesional color in 8.0%（7/88） of the patients, by 26%－50% with an obvious lightening of lesional color in 39.8% （35/88）, by 51%－75% with a marked lightening of lesional color in 26.1% （23/88）, and 26.1% （23/88） of the patients achieved a shrinkage of more than 75% or fading of lesional color. The 7－8 months of treatment leaded to the best outcome, followed by 5－6 months, 3－4 months, and 1－2 months, of treatment. No rebound was observed in patients who stopped the treatment at 10 months to 1 year and 4 months of age. Usually during early stage of the therapy, some of the patients suffered from reduced diastolic blood pressure, sleep disorder, loose stools, hypoglycemia, cold extremities, bronchial hyperreactivity, elevated alanine transarninase/aspartate aminotransferase or creatine kinase isoenzyme, most of which were tolerable and relieved with or without symptomatic treatment. Conclusions Propranolol can suppress the growth and accelerate the regression of hemangiomas in proliferative phase, and also can promote the subsidence of hemangiomas in regressive phase. The side effects of propranolol are usually mild, but still need close monitoring.

Key words: hemangiomas