Initiation and use of propranolol for infantile hemangioma: report of a consensus conference. Pediatrics 2013 Jan;131(1):128-40
Date
12/26/2012Pubmed ID
23266923Pubmed Central ID
PMC3529954DOI
10.1542/peds.2012-1691Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84872283531 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 482 CitationsAbstract
Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are common neoplasms composed of proliferating endothelial-like cells. Despite the relative frequency of IH and the potential severity of complications, there are currently no uniform guidelines for treatment. Although propranolol has rapidly been adopted, there is significant uncertainty and divergence of opinion regarding safety monitoring, dose escalation, and its use in PHACE syndrome (PHACE = posterior fossa, hemangioma, arterial lesions, cardiac abnormalities, eye abnormalities; a cutaneous neurovascular syndrome characterized by large, segmental hemangiomas of the head and neck along with congenital anomalies of the brain, heart, eyes and/or chest wall). A consensus conference was held on December 9, 2011. The multidisciplinary team reviewed existing data on the pharmacologic properties of propranolol and all published reports pertaining to the use of propranolol in pediatric patients. Workgroups were assigned specific topics to propose protocols on the following subjects: contraindications, special populations, pretreatment evaluation, dose escalation, and monitoring. Consensus protocols were recorded during the meeting and refined after the meeting. When appropriate, protocol clarifications and revision were made and agreed upon by the group via teleconference. Because of the absence of high-quality clinical research data, evidence-based recommendations are not possible at present. However, the team agreed on a number of recommendations that arose from a review of existing evidence, including when to treat complicated IH; contraindications and pretreatment evaluation protocols; propranolol use in PHACE syndrome; formulation, target dose, and frequency of propranolol; initiation of propranolol in infants; cardiovascular monitoring; ongoing monitoring; and prevention of hypoglycemia. Where there was considerable controversy, the more conservative approach was selected. We acknowledge that the recommendations are conservative in nature and anticipate that they will be revised as more data are made available.
Author List
Drolet BA, Frommelt PC, Chamlin SL, Haggstrom A, Bauman NM, Chiu YE, Chun RH, Garzon MC, Holland KE, Liberman L, MacLellan-Tobert S, Mancini AJ, Metry D, Puttgen KB, Seefeldt M, Sidbury R, Ward KM, Blei F, Baselga E, Cassidy L, Darrow DH, Joachim S, Kwon EK, Martin K, Perkins J, Siegel DH, Boucek RJ, Frieden IJAuthors
Laura Cassidy PhD Associate Dean, Director, Professor in the Institute for Health and Equity department at Medical College of WisconsinYvonne E. Chiu MD Vice Chair, Professor in the Dermatology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Robert H. Chun MD Professor in the Otolaryngology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Peter C. Frommelt MD Adjunct Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Kristen E. Holland MD Associate Professor in the Dermatology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Consensus Development Conferences as TopicHemangioma
Humans
Infant
Propranolol
Research Report
Vascular Neoplasms