Adrenal suppression following intralesional corticosteroids for periocular haemangiomas

Abstract

Background/aims Treatment with intralesional triamcinolone/betamethasone is recommended for infantile sight-threatening periocular haemangiomas. This study investigates the endocrine and weight changes in 15 infants undergoing therapy over 12 years. Methods 15 infants, median age 19 weeks (range 10–56) receiving intra/perilesional triamcinolone/betamethasone underwent serial measurement of weight, early morning serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) before and after injection. Results Cortisol fell from a median (range) of 383 (112–594) to 28 (Conclusion Prolonged adrenal suppression following triamcinolone/betamethasone injection for periocular haemangiomas is common and associated with faltering weight gain.