None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Strawberry birthmark (haemangioma) grows rapidly during infancy and gradually shrinks in later childhood usually leaving a fatty lump and/or blemished skin. Rapidly growing haemangiomas can cause disfigurement and/or functional problems including blindness. Approximately 10% of children with haemangioma require active treatment during infancy. However, the available treatment has not been satisfactory. Propranolol (a medication for treating high blood pressure) is now used with better results. We are currently conducting a clinical trial using Captopril (another medication for treating blood pressure) for haemangioma. Our laboratory work shows a particular type of stem cell in haemangioma express components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and other markers. Propranolol and Captopril target different parts of the RAS. As part of on-going Captopril study, blood samples are routinely taken before, during and after treatment for analysis. Those patients who undergo Propranolol treatment for haemangioma also have blood samples taken routinely, before and during treatment as part of their clinical management. There is also a sub-group of patients with haemangioma that are more effectively treated with surgery. We would like to investigate the effect of these different treatments on the RAS and other markers with the hope of better understanding the biology and developing more novel and more effective and safer treatment for haemangioma.
Interventions
This is an observational study aimed at comparing the effect of Propranolol, Captopril or Surgery on serum levels of components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and other markers in patients with haemangioma. This will be achieved by measuring serum levels of Renin, ACE, Angiotensin II and Alpha-feto protein in participating infants and children at 4 time points. These time points are pre-treatment, after one month of treatment, after 6 months of treatment and after 1 year since start of
This is an observational study aimed at comparing the effect of Propranolol, Captopril or Surgery on serum levels of components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and other markers in patients with haemangioma. This will be achieved by measuring serum levels of Renin, ACE, Angiotensin II and Alpha-feto protein in participating infants and children at 4 time points. These time points are pre-treatment, after one month of treatment, after 6 months of treatment and after 1 year since start of treatment. Bloods will be taken by trained phlebotomists and/or paediatric doctors. The overall observation period is 12-14 months. This variation in overall observation period is determined by length of time on the propranolol - which in more problematic cases leads the treatment time to be up to 14 months of age - this length of time on treatment is determined by the medical doctors within the research team. In some instances, treatment is able to be stopped around 10-12 months of age, depending on the individual lesions response to treatment.
Sponsors
Hutt Valley DHB
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
2 Months to 18 Months
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
1. Infants and young children aged 2 to 18 months with growing problematic haemangiomas undergoing Propranolol treatment or surgery, whose caregivers have already decided on the proposed treatment and have given written consent. 2. Non-haemangioma children aged 3 – 18 months undergoing elective surgery for whose caregiver have given written consent.
Exclusion criteria
1. Caregivers who would not consent for the child to participate in this study.
Outcome results
None listed