Efficacy of low-dose 90Sr-90Y therapy combined with topical application of 0.5% timolol maleate solution for the treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas

The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of low-dose Sr-90-Y-90 therapy combined with the topical application of 0.5% timolol maleate solution for the treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas (IHs). A total of 72 infants with hemangiomas were allocated at random into the observation group (17 cases aged <= 3 months, 20 cases aged >3 months) or the control group (15 cases aged <= 3 months, 20 cases aged >3 months). The observation group was treated with low-dose Sr-90-Y-90 combined with timolol, while the control group received an identical dose of Sr-90-Y-90 with physiological saline. Data were collected for statistical analysis, and treatment efficacy was compared between the two groups. In the observation group, 100% (37/37) of subjects exhibited an 'excellent' response to the treatment, while 94.1% (16/17) of patients aged <= 3 months and 85.0% (17/20) aged >3 months were classed as being cured. In the control group, the treatment was classed as 'effective' in 100% (35/35) of the subjects, while the excellent response rate was 86.7% (13/15) among the infants aged <= 3 months and 75.0% (15/20) among the infants aged >3 months. The 'cure' rates in the control group were 66.7% (10/15) and 60.0% (12/20) for the <= 3-month- and >3-month-old subjects, respectively. The excellent response and cure rates were notably higher in the observation group than those in the control group. Comparison between the two groups revealed a chi(2) value of 13.90 (P<0.01) for excellent responses in subjects aged <= 3 months, while for patients aged > 3 months the chi(2) value was 28.57 (P<0.01). Analysis of the cure responses gave similar results [= 3 months, chi(2)=23.22 (P<0.01); >3 months, chi(2)=15.67 (P<0.01)]. At 3-4 months after the first course of treatment, the cure rate was 33.3% (11/33) in the observation group, which was significantly higher than the rate of 18.32% (4/22) in the control group (chi(2)=5.92, P<0.05). No serious adverse reactions were observed in either group. In summary, low-dose Sr-90-Y-90 therapy combined with the topical application of 0.5% timolol maleate induces a rapid response in superficial IH, with excellent efficacy and no obvious adverse reactions, and may represent a clinically applicable intervention.