title: Hemangiomas: new insight and medical treatment.
abstract: Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common tumors of infancy and are usually characterized by a pattern of rapid proliferation, followed by a slower period of involution. In most cases, IHs do not require any treatment because they spontaneously regress over the years. However, in a minority of patients, a therapy is mandatory and should be started early to avoid functional and esthetic impairment or even severe systemic complications. Currently, no medications exist that are specifically labeled to treat his; however, because the serendipitous discovery of the efficacy of propranolol in the treatment of IHs at the Dermatologic Department of the University of Bologna, β-blocker therapy has become the first-line therapy in severe and/or complicated hemangiomas. This is a practical review reporting our approach to IHs in our daily practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatric Diseases and Nephrology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Iria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balestri
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patrizi
mesh_terms: D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011433:Propranolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011433:Propranolol