Two Cases of Infantile Hemangioma Treated Early with Propranolol in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants

Abstract

 Propranolol is highly effective for infantile hemangioma. Extremely low birth weight infants are more likely to be complicated by infantile hemangioma, but the safety of propranolol use in infants with a corrected age younger than 5 weeks and low birth weight has not been established; thus, clinicians sometimes hesitate to initiate propranolol administration. Herein, we describe our experience involving two extremely low birth weight infants for whom early initiation of propranolol was effective against infantile hemangioma with ulceration. The early initiation of propranolol under intensive monitoring to minimize adverse effects may be effective in infants with a corrected age younger than 5 weeks and very low birth weight. However, careful monitoring and a willingness to discontinue administration in the event of adverse effects remain important.