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Infantile Periocular Haemangioma: Optimising the Therapeutic Response

  • Therapy in Practice
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Abstract

Oral propranolol is now established as the first-line treatment for infantile haemangiomas, and used in up to 20 % of all cases. Propranolol use in infants is most commonly instigated in a controlled environment to monitor for potential serious adverse events such as hypoglycaemia and hypotension. Two test doses are recommended, the first one of 300 μg/kg followed by 2-hourly monitoring. On the subsequent day, a further dose of 650 μg/kg is administered with the same monitoring. A dose of 2 mg/kg divided into three is started from the next day. Parents/carers need to be warned of common adverse effects, of which disturbed sleep is the commonest. Treatment is recommended for up to a year to avoid rebound growth and the need to restart the treatment.

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  1. Eye Department, York Hospital, Wigginton Road, York, YO31 8HE, England

    Robert H. Taylor

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  1. Robert H. Taylor
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Correspondence to Robert H. Taylor.

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Robert Taylor declares no conflict of interest.

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Robert Taylor received no funding from any source.

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Taylor, R.H. Infantile Periocular Haemangioma: Optimising the Therapeutic Response. Pediatr Drugs 18, 157–160 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40272-016-0172-6

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