title: Treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas with timolol: Evaluation of short-term efficacy and safety in infants.
abstract: Timolol has been demonstrated to be efficacious in the topical treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas (IHs). We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of timolol in the treatment of superficial IH in Chinese infants. From March to November 2012, 124 patients with superficial IHs were included in the prospective study. The patients were divided into two groups: treatment (101 patients, the timolol drops were administered on the surface of the lesions three times daily, and erythromycin ointment was applied around the lesions) and observation (23 patients, without treatment). The results were categorized into three grades: class 1 (ineffective), class 2 (controlled growth) and class 3 (promoted regression). Within one week of the initiation of timolol treatment, a number of the lesions became softer and lighter in color. Four months following the initiation of timolol treatment, the overall response was class 1 in eight patients (7.9%), class 2 in 36 patients (35.6%) and class 3 in 57 patients (56.4%). Complete tumor regression was observed in 12 patients. No adverse effects were recorded during the treatment period. Among the patients in the observation group, there were 15 class 1 patients (65.2%), seven class 2 patients (30.4%) and only one class 3 patient (4.3%). In conclusion, timolol is an effective and safe treatment for superficial IH. In addition, it may be used in the treatment of proliferative superficial IH, particularly in infants within 6 months of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006; ; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Linhai, Zhejiang 317000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Linjun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shengmiao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Baoli
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zhengji
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Liqi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Minyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wangyong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Daiqiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Binbin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Chunfen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
keywords: hemangioma; infant; prospective study; timolol