Association Between Covıd-19 And Facial Paralysis

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the records of patients who preŞented to c with acute facial paralysis during the COVID-19 pandemicour clini and potential association between the two conditions.to investigate a Methods: A retrospective analysis was made of the patients who preŞented to our department with facial paralysis in the 1 year preceding the first positive diagnosis of COVID-19 in this country (Group 1), and those preŞenting with the same complaint within the 1 year after this date (Group 2). The age, gender, COVID-19 swab test result, House-Brackmann staging and side of facial paralysis, audiogram results, treatment is given, time until improvement and the comorbidities and symptoms additional to facial paralysis of each patient were collected. Results: Included in the study were a total of 45 and 58 patients who preŞented with facial paralysis for group 1 and group 2 respectively. Of the patients who preŞented with acute facial paralysis sİnce the pandemic, five were positive for COVID-19 (8.6%) and three had been in contact with someone positive for COVID-19 (5.1%). No statistically significant differences were found between groups 1 and 2 in the compared parameters. A statistically significant improvement was observed in the staging according to the first and last House- Brackman stages of the patients in both groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that there is no clear relationship between COVID-19 and acute peripheral facial palsy. We thus conclude that any association between acute peripheral facial paralysis and COVID-19 during the pandemic may be coİncidental.