RESUMO
ABSTRACT Objective: To present the outcomes of fixed doses of propranolol tablets for the treatment of hemangiomas. Case description: Two illustrative cases of hemangioma in infant patients younger than six months old are described. Treatments were started in 2010 and 2011 and were monitored until August 2017. Patients were treated with fixed doses, initially calculated based on the upper limit of 3 mg/kg/day and administrated in two daily doses rounded down to the nearest multiple of five milligrams. Dosage was not adjusted to patients' weight gain. The tablets were crushed and then diluted in a maximum amount of 3 mL of water. This procedure was necessary because propranolol was not available in oral solution in 2009, when dosages available in the Brazilian market were 10, 40 and 80 mg. Both patients presented significative improvement in the first 60 days and were in complete remission by the end of the treatment. Comments: It is possible to treat patients with Propranolol 10 mg tablets, even though the dosage is not as precise as when calculated according to patients' weight. The maintenance of a fixed dose, ignoring the patient's progressive weight gains, helps avoiding the rebound effect and decreases complications.
RESUMO Objetivo: Apresentar a experiência com a utilização de propranolol em doses fixas, em forma de comprimido, para o tratamento de hemangiomas. Descrição do caso: Dois casos ilustrativos de portadores de hemangiomas com menos de seis meses de idade são descritos. O início de tratamento ocorreu nos anos de 2010 e 2011 com seguimento até agosto de 2017. Os pacientes foram tratados com doses fixas iniciais calculadas com limite máximo de 3 mg/kg/dia, divididas em duas doses diárias, sempre com quantidades múltiplas de 5 mg. Os comprimidos de 10 mg ou a sua metade eram macerados e diluídos em 3 mL de água. As doses não foram mais alteradas. Esse uso foi decorrente da ausência da forma líquida de propranolol em 2009, quando começamos a utilizar esse tratamento, sendo então apenas disponíveis comprimidos de 10, 40 e 80 mg. Os pacientes obtiveram melhora acentuada nos primeiros 60 dias e remissão completa posteriormente. Comentários: É possível o uso de comprimidos de 10 mg, apesar de resultar numa dose não exata, como a calculada por kg/peso. A manutenção da mesma dose, mesmo com aumento progressivo de peso, pode evitar o efeito rebote e diminuir o índice de complicações.
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Criança , Propranolol/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Cutâneas/tratamento farmacológico , Antagonistas Adrenérgicos beta/uso terapêutico , Hemangioma/tratamento farmacológico , Propranolol/farmacologia , Neoplasias Cutâneas/patologia , Aumento de Peso , Resultado do Tratamento , Antagonistas Adrenérgicos beta/farmacologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Hemangioma/patologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To present the outcomes of fixed doses of propranolol tablets for the treatment of hemangiomas. CASE DESCRIPTION: Two illustrative cases of hemangioma in infant patients younger than six months old are described. Treatments were started in 2010 and 2011 and were monitored until August 2017. Patients were treated with fixed doses, initially calculated based on the upper limit of 3 mg/kg/day and administrated in two daily doses rounded down to the nearest multiple of five milligrams. Dosage was not adjusted to patients' weight gain. The tablets were crushed and then diluted in a maximum amount of 3 mL of water. This procedure was necessary because propranolol was not available in oral solution in 2009, when dosages available in the Brazilian market were 10, 40 and 80 mg. Both patients presented significative improvement in the first 60 days and were in complete remission by the end of the treatment. COMMENTS: It is possible to treat patients with Propranolol 10 mg tablets, even though the dosage is not as precise as when calculated according to patients' weight. The maintenance of a fixed dose, ignoring the patient's progressive weight gains, helps avoiding the rebound effect and decreases complications.