Use of Propranolol for Treating Hemangiomas in Infants with Previously Diagnosed Hypoglycemic Conditions

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common pediatric vascular tumors. They require therapy when they cause severe complications such as ulceration, amblyopia, or airway constriction. Propranolol is the only treatment that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for complicated IHs and has become first-line therapy for IHs that need to be treated. Older therapies such as systemic corticosteroids and surgery are now rarely used. Propranolol can have potentially serious adverse side effects, including bradycardia, hypotension, and hypoglycemia. There is sparse literature on the use of propranolol for IHs in patients with preexisting hypoglycemic conditions. We report three cases of infants with preexisting hypoglycemic conditions requiring diazoxide whose complicated hemangiomas were successfully and safely treated with oral propranolol.