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No Increased Risks Associated with Propranolol Treatment for Infantile Hemangioma in Preterm Infants were Identified at 3 Years of Age

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Abstract

Background

Concerns have been raised that propranolol treatment of infantile hemangioma (IH) may be associated with increased risks of adverse effects and growth impairment in preterm infants due to their immature development.

Objective

This study aimed to find out whether treatment of IH with propranolol in preterm infants is associated with higher incidences of long-term adverse effects and growth impairment in comparison with term infants.

Methods

The clinical data of 55 preterm infants and 180 term infants with IH treated with oral propranolol for 6 months were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

Results

The preterm and term patients did not differ significantly in terms of the general characteristics and adverse effect incidence (all p > 0.05). Height, weight, and head circumference of the preterm infants at ages 1, 2, and 3 years did not differ significantly from the normal references (all p > 0.05). In the term patients, only 1-year-old female weight and head circumference were significantly higher than the normal references (both p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Treatment of IH with propranolol for 6 months did not increase the risks for adverse effects or growth impairment up to age 3 years in preterm versus term patients in our study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 56 Nanlishi Road, Beijing, 100045, China

    Li Li, Li Wei, Zi-Gang Xu & Lin Ma

Authors
  1. Li Li
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  2. Li Wei
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  3. Zi-Gang Xu
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  4. Lin Ma
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lin Ma.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Capital Health Research and Development of Special (2016-2-2093); Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Incubating Program (PX2016014); Beijing Children’s Hospital Clinic-Scientific Young Investigator Program (BCHYIPB-2016-02); and Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals Clinical Medicine Development of Special Funding Support (NO ZYLX201601).

Conflict of interest

Li Li, Li Wei, Zi-Gang Xu, and Lin Ma have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical standards

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University (No. [2015]-Y-021-D). The need for informed consent for this retrospective study was waived by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University.

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Li, L., Wei, L., Xu, ZG. et al. No Increased Risks Associated with Propranolol Treatment for Infantile Hemangioma in Preterm Infants were Identified at 3 Years of Age. Am J Clin Dermatol 20, 289–293 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-018-00419-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40257-018-00419-1

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