The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Bell's Palsy and Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science 2024, 39(16), , pp.1-11
• Main Authors: Kwak, Min Young, Lee, Ho Yun, Lee, Se A, Jeong, Junhui, Chung, Jae Ho, Kim, Jin, Jun, Beom Cho, Yeo, Seung-Geun, Kim, Sang Hoon, Lee, Jong Dae
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bell Palsy - epidemiology; Comorbidity; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Female; Herpes Zoster Oticus - diagnosis; Herpes Zoster Oticus - drug therapy; Herpes Zoster Oticus - epidemiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Pandemics; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2 - isolation & purification; 의학일반
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e140

This article presents a comprehensive review of data on the impact of facial palsy during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The possible causes and pathophysiological mechanisms of changes in the epidemiology of facial palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed. This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 943 patients diagnosed with Bell's palsy or Ramsay Hunt syndrome. This study compared patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, and treatments before the COVID-19 pandemic (from 2017 to 2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic, from 2020 to 2022). Following the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases of Bell's palsy, particularly among elderly individuals with diabetes. Bell's palsy increased after the COVID-19 outbreak, rising from 75.3% in the pre-COVID-19 era to 83.6% after the COVID-19 outbreak. The complete recovery rate decreased from 88.2% to 73.9%, and the rate of recurrence increased from 2.9% to 7.5% in patients with Bell's palsy. Ramsay Hunt syndrome showed fewer changes in clinical outcomes. This study highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the presentation and management of facial palsy, and suggests potential associations with COVID-19. Notably, the observed increase in Bell's palsy cases among elderly individuals with diabetes emphasizes the impact of the pandemic. Identifying the epidemiological changes in facial palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic has important implications for assessing its etiology and pathological mechanisms of facial palsy disease.