Infantile hemangiomas, complications and follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
To study the risk factors for hemangioma-related complications, treatment indications and analyze the outcome of patients with infantile hemangioma.


METHODS
Retrospective.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Fifty-five patients (1-69 months; median: 12 months) with infantile hemangioma with mean follow-up 19 months. The eligibility was based on the criteria of the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA).


METHODS
The surgical treatment included total excision whereas medical treatment was carried out by interferon and /or corticosteroids.


METHODS
Data was collected including sex, age, prematurity, age at onset, number, anatomic location and size of hemangioma, age at treatment, cause of treatment decision, family history, presence of extra malformations, involvement of internal organs, presence of life altering or life threatening complications, response to treatment, dose and duration of medications, complications associated with treatment, follow-up period, and final outcome.


RESULTS
Thirty-four (62%) patients were followed-up without treatment, whereas 21 others underwent treatment including steroids, interferon, and surgery. The size of hemangioma was a major factor that predicted hemangioma-related complications (P=0.002). Patients with hemangioma related complications had bigger lesions (size >40 cm² or the longest size on a single plane >5 cm). Nineteen patients (34%) had complications, but only 8 (14.5%) out of them had life or function-threatening complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Although dosing and treatment protocol is still debatable, steroids and interferon are good options for hemangioma treatment. The management strategy should be individualized for each case.
Department of Pediatric Hematology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey. arzuakcay@yahoo.com
Arzu
A
Akcay
Zeynep
Z
Karakas
Ebru Tugrul
ET
Saribeyoglu
Aysegul
A
Unuvar
Can
C
Baykal
Mesut
M
Garipardic
Sema
S
Anak
Leyla
L
Agaoglu
Gulyuz
G
Ozturk
Omer
O
Devecioglu
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011239:Prednisolone