Objectives : The purpose of this study was to describe the results of oral propranolol treatment for infantile hemangioma (IH) in terms of efficacy, therapeutic approach and adverse events.

Patients and methods : The study comprised 138 infants with IH in the proliferative and involuting phase. 12 patients (8.7%) were diagnosed congenital heart diseases and 10 patients (7.2%) – PHACE syndrome.

Results : Propranolol treatment was effective in all cases, with a good or excellent response in 71.0% at 6 months. Mean duration of treatment was 8 months. Adverse effects were only observed in 6 patients: 2 of them had short and self-limited episode of hypotension with hypoglycemia, 1 infant was registered prolonged sinus-arrest and treatment was discontinued, 1 infant had RSV exacerbation and 1 case of aminotransferases elevation. During treatment mean decrease of SBP was 8.86 mm.Hg, DBP was 5,29 mm.Hg, and cardiac rate 20.31 bpm.

Conclusions : In all cases, oral propranolol produced rapid and sustained improvements in IH as in the proliferative phase as in the involuting phase. All adverse events were in the form of episodic cases. However, incidental finding without any complication requires for more intensive monitoring for possible drug toxity.