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Cardiac side effects of propranolol in infants treated for infantile haemangiomas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2023

Numila Maliqari ,
Enkeleda Duka Open the ORCID record for Enkeleda Duka [Opens in a new window]  and
Loreta Kuneshka
Numila Maliqari*
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology Department, Mother Theresa University Hospital, Tirana, Albania
Enkeleda Duka
Affiliation:
Pediatric Hemato Oncology Department, Mother Theresa University Hospital, Tirana, Albania
Loreta Kuneshka
Affiliation:
Pediatric Dermatology Department, Mother Theresa University Hospital, Tirana, Albania
*
Author for correspondence: Numila Maliqari, Pediatric Cardiology Department, Mother Theresa University Hospital, Rr. Dibres Nr.372, Tirana, Albania. Tel: +355 68 20 55 796. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives:

This study aims to add proof to the safety profile of propranolol as first-line choice in treating infantile haemangiomas, in particular related to its cardiac side effects the main hindering reason for parents and physicians to start and comply with treatment.

Method:

This is a prospective observational and analytic study with a sample of 476 patients diagnosed with infantile haemangioma and treated with systemic propranolol during the time interval January 2011 to December 2021. We studied clinical propranolol adverse events experienced in hospital or outpatient and measured the impact of propranolol on blood pressure and heart rate.

Results:

This study showed that symptomatic adverse events caused by propranolol were mild and severe adverse events were rare. The most common clinical side effects were paleness, sweating, reduced feeding, and agitation. Only in 28 (5.9%) cases these symptoms were severe enough to review treatment, 1.8% had severe respiratory symptoms, 2.7% experienced hypoglycaemia, and 1.2% had heart-related symptoms. Mean blood pressure reduction with treatment was statistically significant only after achieving the maintenance dose 2 mg/kg body weight. Blood pressure under the 5th percentile was registered in 2.9% of cases, but only four patients had symptomatic hypotension. While heart rate reduction was noticed with the first dose, only two experienced symptomatic bradycardia.

Conclusion:

We conclude that propranolol is not only an excellent drug in treating infantile haemangioma, but it has also a very safe profile, with mild side effects and very rare severe cardiac adverse events, easily overcome with treatment interruption.

Keywords

Infantile haemangiomapropranololhypotensionbradycardia
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 33 , Issue 12 , December 2023 , pp. 2616 - 2620
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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