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. 2016 Jan;74(1):120-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.08.024. Epub 2015 Oct 19.

Increasing incidence of infantile hemangiomas (IH) over the past 35 years: Correlation with decreasing gestational age at birth and birth weight

Katelyn R Anderson  1 , Jennifer J Schoch  1 , Christine M Lohse  2 , Jennifer L Hand  3 , Dawn M Davis  4 , Megha M Tollefson  5
Affiliations

Increasing incidence of infantile hemangiomas (IH) over the past 35 years: Correlation with decreasing gestational age at birth and birth weight

Katelyn R Anderson et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Infantile hemangiomas (IH) are the most common soft-tissue tumors of infancy, but little is known regarding their true incidence.

Objectives: We sought to determine the current incidence of IH and examine trends in incidence, demographics, and lesion characteristics over 3 decades.

Methods: The Rochester Epidemiology Project was used to identify infants residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, who were given a diagnosis of IH between January 1, 1976, and December 31, 2010.

Results: In all, 999 infants were given a diagnosis of IH. Incidence increased over the 3-decade study period from 0.97 to 1.97 per 100 person-years (P < .001). Average gestational age at birth and birth weight for infants with IH decreased over the study period (39.2-38.3 weeks, P < .001 and 3383-3185 g, P = .003, respectively). The overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence of IH was 1.64 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 1.54-1.75).

Limitations: The population of Olmsted County, Minnesota, is predominantly non-Hispanic white, limiting our ability to report racial differences in incidence. This was a retrospective study.

Conclusions: This study provides a longitudinal, population-based incidence of IH. Incidence has increased steadily over the past 3 decades, correlating significantly with decreasing gestational age at birth and birth weight in affected infants.

Keywords: hemangioma; incidence; infantile hemangioma; vascular anomaly; vascular birthmark; vascular tumor.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Incidence of Infantile Hemangioma (Females versus Males).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes in Incidence of Infantile Hemangioma (Olmstead County, Minnesota 1976–2010).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Changes in Birth Weight and Gestational Age (Olmstead County, Minnesota 1976–2010).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Changes in Maternal Pregnancy Complication Rate (Olmstead County, Minnesota1976–2010).
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