Pulse steroid therapy in infantile facial hemangiomas: the early experience

Abstract

Background: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Pulse steroid therapy in the management of Infantile facial hemangioma in five subjects.Methods: Consecutive patients who presented with facial hemangioma were prospectively enrolled in this study between January 2014 till August 2017. All subjects underwent treatment with 30mg/kg/day I/V methyl prednisolone for 6days and then weekly for 6weeks and then followed by oral daily dosing. All subjects underwent systemic, and radiologic evaluations before treatment and at periodic intervals after starting therapy. Side effects from therapy were also evaluated.Results: Five subjects under 6 months of age, with facial hemangioma were enrolled in this study. After hospital admission, I/V steroid therapy was initiated in all subjects under monitoring by a pediatric cardiologist. Subsequent oral therapy after 6 weeks was performed with periodic out-patient monitoring. All subjects had excellent response to treatment, with regression of facial hemangioma. There were no side effects from therapy.Conclusions: I/V methyl prednisolone pulse steroid therapy for facial hemangioma was effective in all the five subjects.