A patient with bilateral facial palsy associated with hypertension and chickenpox: learning points.
Bilateral facial nerve paralysis is an uncommon presentation and even more so in children. There are reports of different causes of bilateral facial nerve palsy. It is well-established that hypertension and chickenpox causes unilateral facial paralysis and the importance of checking the blood pressure in children with facial nerve paralysis cannot be stressed enough. The authors report a boy with bilateral facial nerve paralysis in association with hypertension and having recently recovered from chickenpox. The authors review aspects of bilateral facial nerve paralysis as well as hypertension and chickenpox causing facial nerve paralysis.
Department of Nephrology, Birmingham Children's Hospital, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. drislam77@doctors.org.uk
Eslam
E
Al-Abadi
David V
DV
Milford
Martin
M
Smith
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002644:Chickenpox / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D019808:Losartan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D014633:Valine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D014633:Valine; D019808:Losartan; D000077483:Valacyclovir; D000212:Acyclovir