Demographic and clinical features of infants with hemangioma admitted to Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman

Infantile hemangioma is the most common type of vascular tumor in childhood. Risk factors for hemangioma include female gender, low birth weight, prematurity, higher maternal age, and multiple gestations. In this study, for the first time in Kerman, we describe and compare demographic features of infants with hemangiomatous lesions treated with two different systemic beta-blockers (atenolol or propranolol), examining their efficacy and adverse effects. Forty-one infants with hemangiomatous lesions admitted to the pediatric dermatology ward of Afzalipour Hospital from 2011 to 2017 were enrolled in this study. Demographic features of infants and their mothers and clinical features and complications of hemangiomatous lesions were recorded. Also, we compared the efficacy and adverse effects of treatment protocols with two betablockers (atenolol and propranolol). Most infants were female (70.7%), and 9.7% were premature. The majority of the lesions were superficial (53.7%) and located in the head and neck area (82.9%). Multiple hemangiomas were recorded in 4.8% of the cases. The most common complication was ulceration (29.3%). Two out of 18 patients treated with propranolol had a complete response rate. Adverse effects were observed more frequently with propranolol (26.8%) than with atenolol (14.6%). In our study, female gender and low birth weight were significantly more common in infantile hemangioma patients than in the normal population. Also, mothers of children with hemangioma had a significantly greater number of miscarriages than the average population. Propranolol and atenolol had no significant difference in efficacy and adverse effects.