Article: Propranolol for severe hemangiomas of infancy
Take Home Points:
- Propranolol, a non-selective beta-blocker, was incidentally found to quickly and drastically decrease the size of infantile hemangiomas, sparking a new treatment for this condition.
The Details:
- Two children with severe infantile hemangiomas were given propranolol for cardiomyopathy and incidentally were found to have a significant reduction in the size of their hemangiomas within 1-7 days of the initiation of treatment.
- Subsequent to this finding, 9 more children with severe disfiguring infantile capillary hemangiomas were given propranolol in addition to the standard of care, and followed for resolution.
- In all 9 children, tangible changes were seen in the color and consistency of the hemangiomas within 24 hours of treatment initiation with continued resolution over the following months.
- Propranolol was initiated at a dose of 2mg/kg per day and maintained on this regimen until discontinuation.
Contributed by Benny Laitman, MD