Treatment of children and adolescents with hemangioma using propranolol: preliminary results from a retrospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Hemangiomas are the commonest vascular tumors during childhood. In 2008, the effect of propranolol for treating capillary hemangiomas was demonstrated. Other similar results followed, showing that it rapidly reduces lesion volume. The objective here was to evaluate children and adolescents with hemangiomas that were treated with propranolol.


METHODS
Retrospective study, conducted in a children's hospital.


METHODS
Patients aged 0-19 years with or without previous treatment, who were treated between January 2009 and December 2010, were included. The response was assessed by comparing the lesion appearance between the start of treatment and the last consultation. We considered partial or complete responses as the response to treatment.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine patients with a median follow-up of 11 months (mean age: 31 months) were included. Of these, 58 patients were recently diagnosed and 11 had had previous treatment. A response (partial or complete) was seen in 60 patients (87%). Among the capillary hemangioma cases, responses were seen in 50 out of 53 (94%), while in other lesion types, it was 10 out of 16 (63%) (P = 0.3; chi-square). Responses in patients less than one year of age were seen in 37 out of 38 (97%), whereas in those over one year of age, in 23 out of 31 (74%) (P = 0.4; chi-square). Side effects were uncommon and mild.


CONCLUSIONS
Propranolol seemed to be effective for treatment of hemangiomas in children and adolescents, and not just in the proliferative stage, with responses in almost all the patients.
Universidade Federal do Ceará, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, Pharmacy Student, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Juliana Costa
JC
Albuquerque
Universidade Federal do Ceará, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, Pharmacy Student, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Rosane Aline
RA
Magalhães
Universidade Federal do Ceará, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, Pharmacy Student, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Jamille Araújo
JA
Félix
Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Universidade Federal do Ceará, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, Employee of the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Maria Vilani Rodrigues
MV
Bastos
Pharmacy Course, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing, Universidade Federal do Ceará, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, PhD. Adjunct Professor, Pharmacy Course, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Juvenia Bezerra
JB
Fontenele
Pediatric Cancer Center, Albert Sabin Children's Hospital, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, MD, MSc. Pediatrician in Walter Cantídio University Hospital, Pediatrician and Hemato-oncologist in the Pediatric Cancer Center, Albert Sabin Children's Hospital, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Nádia Mendonça
NM
Trompieri
Albert Sabin Children's Hospital, FortalezaCeará, Brazil, MD, MSc. Pediatrician and Hemato-oncologist in Albert Sabin Children's Hospital, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Francisco Helder Cavalcante
FH
Felix
D000293:Adolescent; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018324:Hemangioma, Capillary / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011433:Propranolol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D011433:Propranolol