Infantile Hemangiomas with Minimal or Arrested Growth: A Retrospective Case Series

Background/objectives: Infantile hemangiomas (IH) with minimal or arrested growth (MAG) constitute a distinctive subset of IH based on their clinical characteristics and natural history. They are often confused with capillary malformations.

Methods: A retrospective observational study has been carried out in which clinical and perinatal characteristics have been evaluated in all IH-MAG evaluated in our Dermatology Department in a 5-year period (January 2013-December 2017).

Results: A total of 14 IH-MAG affecting 13 patients were identified (10 girls and 3 boys). All were born full term, with a mean birth weight of 3448 g for girls vs 3540 g for boys, corresponding to the 72nd percentile for both sexes. The IH-MAG was noticed at birth in 75% of cases. It had a segmental distribution in 6 cases and focal in 8. The most common clinical features was the presence of an erythematous or reticulated background and superficial red bright papules. Lesions were located preferentially in the lower body. Doppler ultrasound showed no significant vascular abnormalities in any case. Five IH-MAG developed ulcerations and three required treatment with propranolol. Progressive involution was observed in all cases.

Conclusions: In spite of being a true IH, the absence of a relationship with prematurity, the high birth weight of the newborns, the predominance on the extremities, the higher percentage of segmental lesions, and their reduced ability to proliferate suggest possible etiopathogenic differences compared with conventional IH.