Recovery from idiopathic facial paralysis: Prednisolone or prednisolone / acyclovir? Recuperación de parálisis facial idiopática: ¿Prednisolona o prednisolona/aciclovir?

Abstract

There is discrepancy in literature regarding the treatment of idiopathic facial palsy. Insufficient evidence is available supporting combined therapy with anti-viral drugs and systemic corticosteroids; however, this regime is frequently used in clinical practice justified by probable viral etiology. Objective: to describe frequency offull recovery in patients who received prednisolone alone or prednisolone/acyclovir combined therapy. Metlwds: this is a historie cohort trial identifying the cases of peripheral facial palsy diagnosed between January 2005 and January 2009 by a review of otolaryngology records. Palsy was classified at admission using the House-Brackmann grading scale. Results: 106 cases were studied, 59 females (55.7%) and 47 males (44.3%), with a mean age of 36.9 years (SD 16.7). At admission, 47.2% presented grade III palsy. Prednisolone was administered to 32 (30.2%) and 74 (69.8%) received prednisolone-acyclovir. Complete recovery (House-Brackmann Grade I) was documented in 23 (71.9%) prednisolone-treated-patients and in 52 (70.2 % ) prednisolone/acyclovir-treated-patients. Mean follow-up was 39 days. The improvement profile in both groups was better in patients with grades II and III palsy at admission. Conclusion: improvement is greater to that described for a placebo, but less than expected for a 3-month administration of prednisolone. The rate of complete recovery was similar in both groups. Data cannot be compared with other publications due to the short follow-up period in this trial.