title: Treatment of infantile hemangiomas with propranolol: clinical guidelines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infantile hemangioma is a vascular tumor and requires treatment in lesions manifested by potentially dangerous symptoms. Several publications have reported that involution of infantile hemangioma could be accelerated by propranolol but have used only invalidated subjective measures of assessment. The authors aimed to objectively validate the aesthetic results after propranolol treatment for infantile hemangioma, and to produce a therapy protocol, including optimal timing for introduction, pretreatment preparation, dosage, frequency of visits, duration, and patient safety.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the nonrandomized comparative cohort study, the authors enrolled 60 patients treated with propranolol. Medical two-dimensional photographs, taken before and after treatment, were subjectively analyzed by three plastic surgery consultants and objectively analyzed with a computer program. Aesthetic results were analyzed using the following parameters: subjective overall outcome, subjective color fading, and objective color fading. Reliability of subjective and objective methods was quantified and compared, as described with accuracy and repeatability. Volumetric parameters were obtained from three-dimensional scans taken before and after treatment and objectively analyzed with a computer program. Numerous patients' data were recorded from the medical notes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study proved high efficiency of propranolol in treatment of infantile hemangioma, as assessed with the objective measures for the first time. The authors outlined an optimal treatment protocol, including introduction, dosage, duration, and cessation of therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Propranolol is an effective, well-tolerated, and safe first-line treatment for proliferative hemangioma. Therapy should begin early, continue with the target dosage of 2 mg/kg/day in three divided doses through the proliferative phase of infantile hemangioma, and be stopped gradually.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic, IV.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh, United Kingdom From the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Royal Hospital of Sick Children.
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szychta
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011433:Propranolol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011433:Propranolol