title: Considerations and complications after Bells' palsy.
abstract: We present a retrospective, observational study of all patients diagnosed with Bells' palsy (BP) at the Central District of Clalit Health Services from 2003 through to 2012. BP is associated with several complications. We evaluated clinical characteristics including the number of patient visits to general physicians (GP), otolaryngologists, ophthalmologists and neurologists, medications prescribed in the acute phase of BP (steroids and antiviral agents), and the ophthalmic diagnoses. A total of 4463 patients with the diagnosis of BP were included. The incidence per 100,000/year was 87.0, and it increased with age. Patients had significantly more visits to all specialists at 6 months after the BP event. Steroid treatment was prescribed to 50.4% of the patients and antiviral agents to 65.5%. Both treatments were associated with older patient age and female sex. The rate of post BP lagophthalmos and keratitis was 3.45% and 0.63% at 1-3 months, respectively, and both were more likely to develop in older patients. Steroid and/or antiviral treatments were not associated with a decrease in ophthalmic complications. BP may cause ophthalmic complications at a low rate, which are associated with older age. Steroids and antiviral agents appeared to have no effect on ophthalmic complications.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Meir Medical Center, 59 Tchernichovsky Street, Kfar Sava 44281, Israel. Electronic address: nemet.arik@gmail.com.
authors: Arie Y
authors: AY
authors: Nemet
authors: Chief Physician's Office, Central Headquarters, Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Family Medicine, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Shlomo
authors: S
authors: Vinker
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: Antiviral agents; Bell’s palsy; Idiopathic peripheral facial nerve paresis; Keratitis; Lagophthalmos; Ophthalmic complications