Increased incidence of idiopathic paediatric facial palsy during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
J Laryngol Otol
; 135(8): 668-670, 2021 Aug.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1225475
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Bell's palsy is a lower motor neurone facial weakness of unknown aetiology, although reactivation of a virus within the facial nerve has been proposed.METHODS:
A prospective study was conducted of Bell's palsy cases presenting to our paediatric ENT unit over a 19-week period, from February to June 2020. Patients were invited for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 antibody testing. A text-message questionnaire was sent to other ENT centres to determine their observational experience.RESULTS:
During the study period, 17 children presented with Bell's palsy, compared with only 3 children in the same time period in the previous year (p < 0.0001). Five patients underwent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 antibody testing, the results of which were all negative. Four out of 15 centres questioned perceived an increased incidence in paediatric Bell's palsy.CONCLUSION:
Clinicians are encouraged to be vigilant to the increase in paediatric Bell's palsy seen during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which may represent a post-viral sequela of coronavirus disease 2019.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Bell Palsy
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Etiology study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
J Laryngol Otol
Journal subject:
Otolaryngology
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S0022215121001353
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