[Residual states in 30 percent of adult patients with Bell's palsy. Early treatment with cortisone improves the healing process].

Abstract

Bell's palsy is an acute unilateral weakness or paralysis of the face of unknown cause. The incidence of the disease is 30 individuals per 100,000 per year. It is a diagnosis of exclusion and other known causes for acute peripheral facial palsy must be ruled out. The prognosis is overall favorable and about 70% of the patients recover completely within 6 months without treatment. Recent randomized controlled Bell's palsy trials have shown that treatment with corticosteroids shortens time to recovery and improves recovery rates while antiviral treatment alone is not more effective than placebo. The combination of corticosteroids and antivirals has not been proven more effective than corticosteroids alone. We present an update of Bell's palsy in adults with focus on diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of these patients.

• Authors: Thomas Berg, Anna Stjernquist-Desatnik, Mervi Kanerva, Malou Hultcrantz, Mats Engström, Lars Jonsson
• Journal: Lakartidningen (Lakartidningen) Vol. 112 (Jan 06 2015) ISSN: 1652-7518 [Electronic] Sweden
• Vernacular Title: Bells pares ger resttillstånd hos 30 procent av vuxna patienter--Tidig behandling med kortison ökar utläkningen.
• PMID: 25584601 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones
• Antiviral Agents
• Prednisolone
• Cortisone

Topics

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones (therapeutic use)
• Adult
• Antiviral Agents (therapeutic use)
• Bell Palsy (complications, diagnosis, drug therapy, etiology)
• Cortisone (therapeutic use)
• Early Medical Intervention
• Humans
• Prednisolone (therapeutic use)
• Recovery of Function