Application of topical betaxolol to cure superficial infantile hemangioma: A pilot study

Abstract

Background Beta‐blockers have gradually become an attractive option for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas. Topical application is preferred to oral administration because of their potential systemic adverse effects. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of betaxolol in treating superficial infantile hemangioma. Methods Seventy‐four infants admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2018 to 2019 were observed and recorded. Variables such as color, size, tension, and thickness were recorded monthly and evaluated using visual analog scales. Multi‐factor analysis of variance with repeated measurements and the non‐parametric Kruskal–Wallis H test were used to compare clinical effectiveness across the different groups. Results After 6 months of treatment, 33.78% (25/74) showed excellent results, 55.41% (41/74) had good responses, 8.11% (6/74) had moderate responses, and 2.70% (2/74) had poor responses. Local discomfort and systemic complications were not found. There was no significant difference in gender and location of occurrence among groups (p > 0.05), and the effect of topical application of betaxolol was optimum in the children aged 0–3 months (p = 0.002). None of three age groups had statistically significant difference in heart rate and blood pressure after accepting treatment (1 month, p = 0.618; 4 months, p = 0.138; 6 months, p = 0.757). Conclusions Our study showed that topical administration of betaxolol was effective and well tolerated for superficial infantile hemangiomas, particularly in the early proliferative stage. However, its safety and efficacy need further research.

Clinical and morphological characteristics and diagnosis of external haemangiomas in children

“…They are specific vascular overgrowths that have a benign course and are congenital. C. Li et al [6] and H. Kim etal. [7] in their works indicate that usually such neoplasms are not harmful to the child's body and do not cause complications but cause considerable cosmetic discomfort.…”