Infantile hemangiomas with unusually prolonged growth phase: a case series.
BACKGROUND
Most infantile hemangiomas (IHs) complete their proliferative growth phase before 9 months of age, but those with unusually prolonged growth create unique clinical challenges. We performed a retrospective case series of IHs with prolonged growth to further characterize these lesions and their treatment.


METHODS
We identified 23 patients as having IHs with prolonged growth after 9 months of age, with growth to a mean age of 17 months. All of the IHs had a deep dermal to subcutaneous component, all had either segmental or indeterminate morphologic characteristics, and 39% involved the parotid gland. A total of 20 of 23 received prolonged treatment with systemic corticosteroids (mean duration of treatment, 11 months), and 9 of 20 received additional systemic therapies (vincristine sulfate and/or interferon alfa-2a or alfa-2b).


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged growth was observed primarily in IHs with a deep component and segmental morphologic characteristics. Recognition of this subset of hemangiomas is important for clinicians, and further study of IHs may provide clues to their pathogenesis.
Brandling-Bennett
Heather A
HA
Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Metry
Denise W
DW
Baselga
Eulalia
E
Lucky
Anne W
AW
Adams
Denise M
DM
Cordisco
Maria R
MR
Frieden
Ilona J
IJ
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014750:Vincristine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014750:Vincristine; D007372:Interferons