Objective: To determine the therapeutic response
rate of oral and topical propranolol in infantile
hemangiomas (IH).
Methodology: A sample size of 60 patients was
calculated using WHO calculator. Non probability
consecutive sampling was used. Ethical approval
and consent forms were taken. Patients were
randomly divided into two groups using lottery
method. Group A was given oral propranolol and
Group B was given topical timolol. Both groups
were followed for 3 months for Visual analogue
scale of therapeutic response rate. Data was
analyzed using SPSS version 24. Chi-square test
was applied. P value ≤0.05 was considered
significant.
Results: Total 60 infantile hemangioma patients
were included in study. Mean age of patients was
5.4months±1.9SD. There were 32(53.3%) male
and 28(46.7%) female. Therapeutic response rate
was higher in topical timolol as compare to oral
propranolol (p=0.003). Adverse effects were
significantly higher in oral propranolol group as
compare to topical timolol (p=0.000).
Conclusion: Topical timolol is safe and effective
treatment in infantile hemangiomas as compare to
oral propranolol. Topical timolol poses less risk of
inducing adverse effects among infants.
Therefore, topical propranolol is recommended for
small and superficial infantile hemangiomas.
(Rawal Med J 202;45:611-615).
Abdul Hameed Khan, Gulwish Salah u Din, Jawaria Irshad, Anam Altaf. (2020) Oral versus topical propranolol in infantile hemangiomas, , Volume 45, Issue 3.
