Timolol - Skin telangiectasia

Principal Investigator: Bernard Cohen, MD

Overview

The Johns Hopkins Department of Dermatology is beginning a study to determine if topical timolol is an effective treatment of telangiectasia spots in HHT patients. The topical liquid treatment has traditionally been used for infant hemangiomas, a type of birthmark made of blood vessels, with successful results.

The goal of the study is to reduce and hopefully eliminate skin telangiectasia using the topical timolol. Current telangiectasia treatments available are laser therapy and surgical skin-grafting, both of which are costly and may be associated with significant side effects.

Question

Does the topical application of the non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor timolol maleate effectively reduce the size and number of cutaneous telangiectasias in patients with HHT?

Procedure: Investigators will pick three sites to treat with timolol along with three other control sites to treat with Vaseline. The participant will apply timolol twice daily to the three sites and Vaseline twice daily to the control sites. Participants will then return at one, three and six months after the treatment is started to monitor progress.

Compensation

There will not be any monetary compensation for the study, however participants will be offered a free skin cancer screening during the first visit. If your insurance does not cover timolol, you can purchase it from Walmart for $4 off the formulary list. You will likely need to purchase three to four bottles over the course of the study.

Study Locations

Rubenstein Bldg
200 North Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21287

Green Spring Station
10755 Falls Road
Lutherville, MD 21093

Potential Risks

Rare but potential side effects of using the timolol solution on the skin include itching (pruritus) and redness (erythema). These are mostly mild in intensity and are usually temporary.

Interested in participating?

Contact: [email protected] (preferred) or call (410) 955-0986 and state that you wish to leave a message for the timolol study for Dr. Cohen and Dr. Jeon.