Serum Basic Fibroblastic Growth Factor Levels in Children with Infantile Hemangioma.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine serum levels of basic fibroblastic growth factor (b-FGF) in hemangioma patients under 2 y of age. METHODS: The study group consisted of 43 children with infantile hemangioma and b-FGF levels were analyzed using ELISA. RESULTS: The serum b-FGF levels were higher in hemangioma patients than in healthy control individuals (p 0.01). There were no differences between the lesion size, number of lesions, patient age and serum b-FGF levels. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, b-FGF is an important growth factor that plays a central role in hemangioma, but determining b-FGF serum levels was not helpful in distinguishing between patients who require treatment and those who do not.