title: [An investigation on prognostic diagnosis and therapeutic effects for peripheral facial nerve palsy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prognostic examinations and therapeutic strategy for peripheral facial nerve palsy are still obscure. We investigated the utility of examinations and the effects of treatment in these patients retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 301 patients with peripheral facial nerve palsy were classified into three groups: Group A, cured within two months (n = 208), Group B, cured within six months (n = 34), Group C, uncured (n = 59). Patient's characteristics, electrophysiological examinations and treatment methods were compared between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was higher in Group C than in Group A, and the lowest palsy score was higher in Group A than in another groups (P < 0.05). Sensitivity and specificity for prognostic diagnosis were higher in electroneurography rather than blink reflex and Yanagihara grading system. Cervical sympathetic nerve block and hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not affect patients' prognosis. There were not significant difference on prognosis between over 120 mg x day(-1) and 60 mg x day(-1) of prednisolone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower palsy score and higher age were risks of bad prognosis and electroneurography is useful for prognostic evaluation of peripheral facial nerve palsy. Therapeutic effects of sympathetic nerve block and hyperbaric oxygen were not entirely clarified. Administration dose of prednisolone was thought to be sufficient with 60 mg x day(-1).
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka 020-0805.
authors.forename: Tasuku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oohata
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies