title: Treatment with propranolol for infantile hemangiomas: single-center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common soft tissue tumors of infancy. Although spontaneous regression is expected, medical treatment is needed in approximately 10-20% of cases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of systemic propranolol for the treatment of IH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 34 eligible patients were analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment indications were local complications (hemorrhage, ulceration) in 38.2% of patients, cosmetic risk and face deformity in 35.3%, life-threatening organ dysfunction in 17.6%, and impending visual impairment in 8.8%. The median age at start of treatment with propranolol was 3.5 months (range, 2-65 months). The median duration of propranolol treatment was 8 months (3-12). Response was graded as excellent (>75% improvement) in 30 patients (88.2%) and good (50-75% improvement) in 3 (8.9%). Recurrence was not observed after termination of treatment. None of our patients showed severe side effects at the beginning of or during the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Propranolol is a well-tolerated, efficacious, and safe drug for treatment of IH. It can be initiated and administered in the outpatient setting. Our report supports the excellent effect and good tolerance of this novel therapy, and we propose the use of propranolol as first-line treatment for IH.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayşe Bozkurt
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Turhan
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özcan
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Bör
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep Canan
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Özdemir
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018324:Hemangioma, Capillary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009386:Neoplastic Syndromes, Hereditary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011433:Propranolol
keywords: hemangioma; infant; propranolol; treatment