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Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth: a retrospective case series
Ki-Young Suh1, Ilona J Frieden
1Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, 90404, USA. ksuh@mednet.ucla.edu
Objective:
To describe clinical characteristics of infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth (IH-MAGs).
Design:
Retrospective case series.
Setting:
Ambulatory referral center at the University of California, San Francisco. Patients Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth were defined as infantile hemangiomas with a proliferative component equaling less than 25% of their total surface area. The patients must have been at least age 2 months at the initial visit or on follow-up. Forty-two eligible patients with 47 IH-MAGs were included in the study.
Main Outcome Measures:
Medical record review was performed for demographic and gestational information, lesion size, and clinical appearance, presence of proliferation, complications, coexisting classic infantile hemangiomas, and morphologic subtype classified as localized, segmental, or indeterminate.
Results:
Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth manifested most commonly as fine or coarse telangiectatic patches. Proliferation was present in 30% (14 of 47 IH-MAGs), usually as small papules at the periphery of these hemangiomas. Sixty-eight percent (32 of 47 IH-MAGs) of them were present on the lower body. Seventeen patients had classic infantile hemangiomas at another body site. Comparison of distribution of sites of IH-MAGs showed a 26-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.9-351.5; P = .01) likelihood of having IH-MAGs on the lower body compared with classic infantile hemangiomas.
Conclusions:
Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth have a distinct clinical appearance and a unique predilection for the lower body. Recognition of IH-MAGs will help in more accurate diagnosis of vascular birthmarks of infancy, and the presence of IH-MAGs in an individual patient does not exclude the proliferative potential of other infantile hemangiomas that may be present.
Insights
Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth (IH-MAGs) often appear as telangiectatic patches and favor the lower body. Recognizing IH-MAGs aids diagnosis of infantile vascular birthmarks.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Pediatrics
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are common vascular tumors of infancy.
- Infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth (IH-MAGs) represent a subset with limited proliferative potential.
- Understanding IH-MAGs' characteristics is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management of infantile vascular lesions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical presentation of infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth (IH-MAGs).
- To identify specific demographic and clinical features associated with IH-MAGs.
- To compare the distribution of IH-MAGs with classic infantile hemangiomas.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series conducted at a tertiary referral center.
- Defined IH-MAGs as lesions with <25% proliferative component, including patients aged ≥2 months.
- Reviewed medical records for lesion characteristics, proliferation, complications, and morphologic subtypes.
Main Results:
- IH-MAGs commonly presented as fine or coarse telangiectatic patches.
- Thirty percent of IH-MAGs showed peripheral papular proliferation.
- A significant predilection for the lower body was observed (68%), with a 26-fold increased likelihood compared to classic IHs.
Conclusions:
- IH-MAGs possess a distinct clinical appearance and a unique tendency to occur on the lower body.
- Accurate identification of IH-MAGs improves the diagnosis of infantile vascular birthmarks.
- The presence of IH-MAGs does not preclude the possibility of coexisting proliferative infantile hemangiomas elsewhere.
