Significance of Electroneurography and Acoustic Reflex Tests in Determining the Prognosis of Bell?s Palsy
Year: 2010
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of electroneurography and acoustic reflex tests for determining the prognosis of Bell?s paralysis at the beginning of disease. Material and Methods: Fifty-two patients who referred to our clinic with Bell?s paralysis were evaluated prospectively with topographic and electrodiagnostic tests. Patients who had facial paralysis last for more than five days, recurrent, bilateral paralysis and paralysis caused by trauma, otitis media or neoplasia were excluded from the study. Audiogram, tympanogram and acoustic reflex tests were performed. Patients with hearing loss and tympanograms other than type A were also excluded. Initially negative acoustic reflex tests were repeated on day 30 and 60. Electroneurography was performed repeatedly and patients were grouped according to the degeneration rate as degeneration less than 50%, 50-90% and more than 90%. The course of the disease was monitored by House-Brackmann grading system. Results: Thirty six patients were House-Brackmann Grade 5, and 16 were Grade 6. Paralysis recovered completely in 42 patients and partially in 10 patients in sixth month. In electroneurography, 65.9% of 44 patients who had degeneration less than 90% recovered completely in the second month (p =0.004) while 12.5% of eight patients who had degeneration more than 90% had partial recovery (p= 0.007). All patients who had positive acoustic reflex test initially, recovered completely in second month (p= 0.003); and in 80% of patients who had negative reflex test, no recovery was seen in 6th month (p= 0.008). Conclusion: Electroneurography and acoustic reflex tests were important prognostic tests for determining prognosis of Bell?s palsy and they were significantly correlated with prognosis. When electroneurography cannot be performed acoustic reflex test can be performed with accuracy in determination of early prognosis of Bell?s palsy.
Institution: Ankara Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W2000620753