Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To study characteristics of Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) patients with facial palsy (FP) and differences in patients treated at the Departments of Otorhinolaryngology and Dermatology.


METHODS
Clinical picture of MRS was studied from patient charts at two departments. Patients with FP received a questionnaire and were examined. Tissue biopsies were searched for non-necrotizing granulomatous infiltrations typical of MRS and blood DNA for UNC-93B1 gene mutations predisposing to herpesvirus infection.


RESULTS
At the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, all 18 MRS patients had FP, 9 the triad form. Two patients revealed non-necrotizing granulomatous infiltrations during acute edema episodes; another two had association with uveitis. Edema was rarely persistent and did not dominate the clinical picture. No UNC-93B1 mutations were found. At the Department of Dermatology, 2 patients had triad MRS and 15 had monosymptomatic granulomatous cheilitis with persistent edema and typical MRS histology.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical picture of MRS with FP differed from the current knowledge of edema-dominated MRS. More studies focusing on MRS with FP would broaden our understanding of the syndrome.
Kanerva
Mervi
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. mervi.kanerva@fimnet.fi <mervi.kanerva@fimnet.fi>
Moilanen
Kirsi
K
Virolainen
Susanna
S
Vaheri
Antti
A
Pitkäranta
Anne
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008556:Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C454130:UNC93B1 protein, human; D004247:DNA