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Propranolol for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas: a nine-year monocentric experience from a tertiary hospital

  • Therapy
  • Published:
European Journal of Dermatology

Abstract

Background

Propranolol is currently considered the first-line therapy for problematic infantile hemangiomas (IH), the most common benign vascular neoplasm of infancy.

Objectives

We present a retrospective observational study aimed at assessing the efficacy of propranolol in 44 IH patients.

Materials & Methods

A nine-year retrospective review considering clinicodemographical and therapy-related variables was performed on medical records of infants treated for IH with oral propranolol. Each lesion was assessed through a numeric severity score based on size and colour both at baseline and after treatment conclusion (p <0.05 was considered statistically significant).

Results

Complete remission was achieved in 90.7% cases of IH with a general mean improvement in severity of 94.94%. No severe adverse effects were reported. Preterm patients showed a superior response compared to term infants, even though the difference was not significant (p=0.185).

Conclusion

Propranolol showed high efficacy in terms of safety profile and cosmetic results. Prematurity and precocious therapy could be linked to a superior response.

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Data Availability Statement: the data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy and ethical restrictions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Dermatology, Fondazione IRCCS Polyclinic San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Martina Volonté, Shay Davidovich, Eugenio Isoletta, Stefania Barruscotti & Valeria Brazzelli

  2. Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Alessia Claudia Codazzi, Antonia Apicella & Gian Luigi Marseglia

  3. Laboratory of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Advanced Diagnosis, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Margherita Massa

  4. Unit of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometrics, Scientific Direction, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy

    Annalisa De Silvestri

  5. Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Gian Luigi Marseglia

  6. Institute of Dermatology, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Valeria Brazzelli

Authors
  1. Martina Volonté
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  2. Alessia Claudia Codazzi
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  3. Shay Davidovich
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  4. Antonia Apicella
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  5. Eugenio Isoletta
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  6. Stefania Barruscotti
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  7. Margherita Massa
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  8. Annalisa De Silvestri
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  9. Gian Luigi Marseglia
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  10. Valeria Brazzelli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Valeria Brazzelli.

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Conflicts of interest: none.

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Volonté, M., Codazzi, A.C., Davidovich, S. et al. Propranolol for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas: a nine-year monocentric experience from a tertiary hospital. Eur J Dermatol 33, 265–269 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2023.4484

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2023.4484

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