The beta-blocker propranolol has been shown to clear or mostly clear infant hemangiomas after 6 months of treatment, according to preliminary findings from a clinical trial presented at the meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in Miami Beach, Florida.
The beta-blocker propranolol has been shown to clear or mostly clear infant hemangiomas after 6 months of treatment, according to preliminary findings from a clinical trial presented at the recent meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology in Miami Beach, Florida.
The randomized clinical trial was conducted in 15 countries and included 456 infants aged 1 to 5 months with proliferating hemangiomas. Participants were randomized to placebo or to 1 of 4 propranolol regimens: 1 mg/kg per day for 6 months, 3 mg/kg per day for 6 months, or 1 of the 2 doses for 3 months followed by placebo for another 3 months. The primary endpoint was complete or near-complete resolution of a lesion at 24 weeks; secondary endpoints were minimal telangiectasia, erythema, skin thickening, soft-tissue swelling, or anatomical distortion. A total of 319 infants completed the 6 months of the study.
Researchers found the clearance rate to be 60.4% with 24 weeks’ of continuous propranolol therapy compared with 3.6% clearance rate in the placebo group. Final analysis was based on patients randomized either to 3 mg/kg of propranolol or placebo for 6 months and clearly showed the advantage in favor of the propranolol therapy. The results exceeded what researchers had hypothesized (55% clearance rate for propranolol vs 10% for placebo).
There were no unexpected safety issues with propranolol or obvious dose-related association with adverse events.
Infantile hemangiomas are found in as many as 3% of newborns in the United States and corticosteroids historically have been first-line treatment. The researchers’ rationale for using propranolol for hemangiomas is based on the beta-blocker’s history of effectiveness in treating hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions.
Stress ulcer prophylaxis does not provide prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding in neonates
December 4th 2023In a poster abstract presented at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition held in Anaheim, California, stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) did not appear to provide benefit for prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding and did not increase SUP-associated adverse effects.
Hematocrit levels in newborns: EPP vs DCC study reveals surprising findings
November 15th 2023A recent study in JAMA Network Open investigates the impact of extrauterine placental perfusion versus delayed cord clamping on hematocrit levels in newborns, shedding light on potential alternatives for optimizing infant outcomes during birth.
Preterm infant HRQOL: Long-term impacts and determinants
October 21st 2023A recent study was highlighted at the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition that shed light on the long-term impact of very preterm birth on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of infants and identified key determinants.
Associations between prenatal metal mixture exposure and negative infant outcomes
September 19th 2023Francheska M. Merced-Nieves, PhD, Assistant professor, Departments of Pediatrics and the Institute for Exposomic Research of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains the associations prenatal exposure to a metal mixture and the potential negative effects for the infant.