Given the widespread use of propranolol in infantile hemangioma (IH) it was considered essential to perform a systematic review of its safety. The objectives of this review were to evaluate the ...safety profile of oral propranolol in the treatment of IH.
We searched Embase and Medline databases (2007-July 2014) and unpublished data from the manufacturer of Hemangiol/Hemangeol (marketed pediatric formulation of oral propranolol; Pierre Fabre Dermatologie, Lavaur, France). Selected studies included ≥10 patients treated with oral propranolol for IH and that either reported ≥1 adverse event or effect (AE) or planned to capture AEs. Data capture was standardized and extracted study design, demographic characteristics, IH characteristics, intervention, and safety outcomes. AEs were assigned a system organ class and preferred term.
A total of 83 of 398 identified literature records met the inclusion criteria, covering 3766 propranolol-treated patients. The manufacturer's data for 3 pooled clinical trials (435 propranolol-treated patients) and 1 Compassionate Use Program (1661 patients) were included. AE data were reported for 1945 of 5862 propranolol-treated patients. The most frequently reported AEs included a range of sleep disturbances, peripheral coldness, and agitation. The most serious AEs (atrioventricular block, bradycardia, hypotension, bronchospasm/bronchial hyperreactivity, and hypoglycemia-related seizures) were managed by decreasing doses or temporary/permanent discontinuation of propranolol. Limitations included the variety of included study designs; monitoring, collection, and reporting of AE data; small sample sizes for some articles; and the wide scope of review.
Oral propranolol is well tolerated if appropriate pretreatment assessments and within-treatment monitoring are performed to exclude patients with contraindications and to minimize serious side effects during treatment.
PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS) includes rare genetic conditions due to gain-of-function mutations in the PIK3CA gene. There is no approved medical therapy for patients with PROS, and ...alpelisib, an approved PIK3CA inhibitor in oncology, showed promising results in preclinical models and in patients. Here, we report for the first time the outcome of two infants with PROS having life-threatening conditions treated with alpelisib (25 mg) and monitored with pharmacokinetics. Patient 1 was an 8-mo-old girl with voluminous vascular malformation. Patient 2 was a 9-mo-old boy presenting with asymmetrical body overgrowth and right hemimegalencephaly with West syndrome. After 12 mo of follow-up, alpelisib treatment was associated with improvement in signs and symptoms, morphological lesions and vascular anomalies in the two patients. No adverse events were reported during the study. In this case series, pharmacological inhibition of PIK3CA with low-dose alpelisib was feasible and associated with clinical improvements, including a smaller size of associated complex tissue malformations and good tolerability.
Infantile haemangioma (IH) is a very common vascular tumour that affects up to 10% of newborns. Since 2008, oral propranolol is used to treat complicated IH, like haemangioma that obstruct vital ...structures or ulcerated haemangioma.
The aim of this study was to investigate, by a retrospective review, the therapeutic results and effects of propranolol on cardiovascular and biological parameters in infants treated for complicated infantile haemangioma and to assess its safety.
All paediatric patients with complicated IH who started systemic propranolol from February 2009 to December 2014 were included. 218 patients (155 girls and 63 boys) were treated by propranolol. The mean weight was 6780g (2115g to 20000g). Median age at beginning of treatment was 4.7 months (10 days to 6 years). The most frequent localisation of IH was facial (63 patients), palpebral (52 patients), perineal (20 patients), labial (14 patients), airway obstruction (8 patients) and 1 PHACE syndrome. Median length of therapy was 7.5 months for facial IH, 6 months for palpebral, 5.6 months for perineal IH and 7 months for subglottic localisation. Adverse events were observed: hypoglycemia (n=11 patients aged less 6 months), arterial hypotension (n=103 patients, especially at the second and third dose with dose titration), bradycardia (n=120). Transthoracic echocardiography was realised in 158 patients: 19 pathologies were found (8 PDA, 4 ASD, 4 mitral regurgitations, 2 VSD and 1 coarctation). Other adverse events occurred in 49 patients (wheezing, acrocyanosis, diarrhoea, sleep disturbance) leading to modification in management. Complete response was observed for all but 11 (partial or no response).
In appropriated patients, propranolol therapy is effective for severe or complicated IH. We must be aware of frequent adverse events under beta-blocker in these patients.
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