INTRODUCTION
- Infantile hemangiomas (IH)(also called Strawberry Nevi) induce a higher risk of ocular amblyopia and the treatment by systemic beta blocking agents induces side-effects. The authors tried to evaluate the efficacy of timolol (a Beta-Blocker) applied topically.
- The authors did a retrospective study on 11 patients with a total of 12 infantile hemangiomas (IH)(Strawberry Nevi)
RESULTS
- The results show that in all cases, timolol gel at a concentration of 0.5% stopped the proliferation of IH.
- In 9 out of 10 cases, the dosage of the applied timolol gel at a concentration of 0.5% was of two applications a day. In one case, the timolol 0.5% was applied once a day. In the remaining 1 case, the timolol gel at a concentration of 0.25% was applied twice a day.
- The average treated period was 4.8 months and the average follow-up was 2.5 months.
- The treatment was well tolerated without side-effects.
- Three cases presented initially with aniso-astigmatism (0.5 to 0.75 diopter of difference). Treatment enables reduction of this difference in two cases. However no improvement was seen in one case.
- Photos which were taken 1.4 months in average after beginning treatments showed a regression of IH (reduction in size, reduction in colour, reduction in volume or improved opthalmological parameters) with a degree of improvement ranging from 33 to 44% according to two independant reviewers.
- In the patient who had to IH, the one which was treated had its diameter shrink from 15 to 8mm whereas the non treated one increased from 8 to 18mm in diameter.
CONCLUSION
- This treatment seems to suit non-complicated IH, even when deep. It enables to stop their proliferation and speed-up the regression phase. Moreover, topical treatment enables prevention of complications linked to the growth of IH.
Source of information (French): Piram M et al. Traitement topique des hémangiomes infantiles périoculaires par le timolol gel – CHU Sainte Justine, Montréal, Canada
Source of information: here
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