| Adour KK et al, 1996, USA | 119 patients presented within the first 72 hours | PRCT | Visual assessment of motor recovery by FPRP & FPRI | Small treatment effect was demonstrated in the acyclovir and prednisolone group (p=0.04) | Small study |
| | | | | 20% patients (16.8%) were lost to follow up |
| Acyclovir and prednisolone v placebo and prednisolone | | | | |
| Acyclovir 2000 mg per day for 10 days | | Electrical testing | Acyclovir and prednisolone group had less partial nerve degeneration (p=0.05) | No intention to treat analysis |
| Prednisolone 1 mg/kg for 5 days tapered to 10 mg/day for next 5 days | | | | |
| De Diego JI et al, 1998, Spain | 113 patients presenting within the first 96 hours | PRCT | Visual assessment of motor recovery by FPRP | Prednisone was beneficial (p=0.0338) | Small study |
| | | | | No real placebo control group |
| Acyclovir alone v prednisolone alone | | | | |
| Acyclovir 2400 mg per day for 10 days | | Electrical testing | Prednisone had less degeneration of marginal branch of facial nerve (p=0.02) | 12 patients (10.6%) were lost to follow up |
| Prednisolone 1 mg/kg for 10 days tapered to zero over the next 6 days | | | | No intention to treat analysis |