Management of cutaneous hemangiomas: A retrospective analysis of 1109 cases and comparison of conventional dose prednisolone with high-dose methylprednisolone therapy

The effectiveness of the different pharmacological agents and different dos es of systemic corticosteroids was analyzed. A total of 1109 patients (medi an age 8 months; F/M 2.3) with hemangioma, followed up in our unit for 23 y ears, were evaluated retrospectively. Forty-five of them received systemic corticosteroids. Two different pharmacological agents, prednisolone (in 26 patients) and methyl prednisolone (in 19 patients), had been used in three different regimens. Groups were compared according to the final results and rebound regrowth. Response was considered good or excellent in 16 patients (36%). There were no differences in response to therapy among the three re gimens. No difference was found in response to therapy between prednisolone and methylprednisolone and the two different doses of the methylprednisolo ne. Rebound regrowth was significantly higher in methyl prednisolone than i n the prednisolone group (p = .045). In multivariate analysis the dimension of the lesion (p = .0065) and age at initiation of treatment (p = .0041) w ere the most important factors affecting the response. In conclusion, the s ystemic corticosteroids are effective in 36% of patients, independent of do sage and pharmacological agents and duration of the therapy. The dimension of the lesion and age at initiation of treatment are the most important fac tors affecting the response to treatment.