| Unuvar E et al, 1999, Turkey | 42 children with complete facial palsyGroup 1 (n = 21) received methyl prednisolone 1 mg/kg per day PO for 10 days; group 2 (n = 21) no treatment | RCT (level 1b) | Recovery at 4, 6, and 12 months | Recovery rate: group 1, 86%?and 100% at 4 and 6 months; and group 2, 72% and 86% at 4 and 6 months. All regained facial nerve function at 12 months | Small numbersNot placebo controlled or blinded |
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| Salinas RA et al, 2001, Chile | 3 RCTs with a total of 117 patients. One trial compared cortisone acetate with placebo; one compared prednisolone plus vitamins, with vitamins alone; and one, not placebo controlled, tested the effect of methylprednisolone | Systematic review(level 1a) | Effect of steroid therapy in the recovery of Bell’s palsy | Overall 13/59 (22%) of patients allocated to steroid therapy had incomplete recovery 6 months after randomisation compared with 15/58 (26%) in control group | Only one trial was done exclusively in children (mentioned above, Unuvar et al)Small number of patients |
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| Salman and MacGregor, 2001, Canada | 8 RCTs in total5 trials comparing steroids with no intervention, 1 trial each comparing steroids with either acyclovir or vitamins, or hyperbaric oxygen | Systematic review(level 1b) | Clinical and electrical recovery in 6 trials, clinical recovery with electromyography if no recovery in 1 trial, and in the last one 3 doctors assessed photos and complication rate. | 3 trials found no significant difference with steroids, 4 trials showed some benefit with steroids whereas 1 trial showed hyperbaric oxygen to be more effective | Only one trial was done exclusively in children (mentioned above, Unuvar et al)The paediatric cases in the remaining 7 trials were not analysed separately5 of the 8 trials were randomisedThe trial designs, treatment schedule and outcome measures were heterogeneous |
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| Dhiravibulya K, 2002, Thailand | 75 children with Bell’s palsy, 28 excluded. 39 of the remaining 47 children in the study received oral prednisolone | Retrospective case series January 1996–July 2001 (level 4) | Recovery from Bell’s palsy | Of the 39 who received prednisolone, complete recovery in 24 (61.5%), nearly complete in 15 (38.5%). All children, including those who did not receive steroid, recovered completely within 7 months | Uncontrolled, retrospective, observational study |