Peripheral facial nerve palsy and covid-19 pandemic- a prevalence analysis.

Introduction The emergence of patients with newly occurring peripheral facial nerve palsy and an acute Covid-19 infection suggests peripheral facial nerve palsy may be caused by a Covid-19 infection. Using patient data from more than 3 million insured patients of the AOK Rheinland/Hamburg, this study investigates a possible increase in prevalence since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods Observations of two patients treated at the University Hospital of Essen as well as quantitative analysis of insured patient data were used for analysis. Based on the patient data of the AOK Rheinland/Hamburg (number of insured patients 2016-2021 and quarterly case numbers diagnosed with facial nerve palsy), the associated prevalence values were calculated.

Results For both patients treated at the University Hospital of Essen, who were healthy otherwise, an additional causal acute infection could be excluded by serology. Considering the two patients, a temporal relationship between peripheral facial nerve palsy and Covid-19 can be demonstrated without evidence of causality. The respective annual prevalence of insured patients, 0.20% from 2016 to 2019 and 0.19% in 2020 and 2021, shows no increase in the first and second waves of the pandemic in 2020 and third and fourth waves in 2021 compared to the time prior to the pandemic.

Conclusion The present data shows no increase in prevalence in peripheral facial nerve palsy since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 compared with 2016-2019 among insured persons. These results are casting doubt on the association of peripheral facial nerve palsy and Covid-19 infection. Due to contrary findings of other studies, an assessment of a causal relationship should be further explored.

Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2023