Study on clinical characteristics and evaluating treatment results of bell’s palsy patients at Can Tho Central General Hospital and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in 2020 – 2022

Abstract

Background: The primary and most common cause of peripheral VII nerve palsy is Bell’s palsy, which may be related to a viral attack of facial neuritis. Despite evidence of a role in viral infection, the therapeutic efficacy of antiviral agents for Bell’s palsy is unclear. However, it has been reported that the combination of antiviral- Withdrawal and steroids is more effective than steroids alone. Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics and to evaluate treatment results of patients with Bell’s palsy. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 70 patients diagnosed with Bell’s palsy at Can Tho Central General Hospital and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital met the sampling criteria and had no exclusion criteria. Participants were evaluated on clinical characteristics and treatment results at admission, after one week, and after four weeks. Results: The main reason for hospital admission was a distorted mouth (71.4%). The main clinical characteristic was the disappearance of the nasolabial fold (100%), frontal wrinkles absent (98.6%), and Charles Bell’s sign (88.6%).Treatment results after one week: the recovery rate in patients using corticosteroids combined with acyclovir was 62.9%, compared to the group using corticosteroids alone was 54.3% (p=0.467).Treatment results after four weeks: the recovery rate in patients using corticosteroids combined with acyclovir was 91.4% compared to the group using corticosteroids alone was 80.0% (p=0.172).Conclusion: The prominent clinical symptoms of patients with Bell’s palsy were the disappearance of nasolabial folds, loss of frontal wrinkles, and Charles Bell’s sign. After one week and four weeks of treatment, the group of patients who used the combination treatment of corticosteroids and acyclovir had a higher recovery rate than the group of patients using corticosteroids alone.