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Propranolol treatment of hemangiomas produces positive results in infants
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Propranolol treatment significantly reduced refractive error and anisometropia in infants with periocular capillary hemangiomas, according to study findings.
The retrospective study included 17 patients with capillary hemangiomas who were treated with 1 mg/kg propranolol three times a day for a mean of 7.12 months.
Researchers collected refractive data preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. Four out of 17 patients had adverse effects in the form of wheeze, for which one case required termination of treatment. The other three patients continued propranolol therapy, according to the researchers.
By 6-month follow-up, hemangioma size had been reduced from 3,214 mm3 before treatment to 1,806 mm3 following treatment. The researchers also found a significant reduction in the magnitude and variability of refractive error in the effected eye at 6 months after treatment (P = .048 and P = .0006, respectively).
“Although it is evident clinically that the onset of effect from propranolol is almost immediate, the changes in refractive effect might continue for several weeks or months,” study authors said. “The optimum duration of treatment is yet to be established, but this comparison of our data with the published alternatives would suggest that propranolol is required in the medium term.”
Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.
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