Valacyclovir and prednisolone treatment for Bell's palsy: a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of valacyclovir and prednisolone in comparison with those of placebo and prednisolone for the treatment of Bell's palsy, excluding zoster sine herpete.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled study.

SETTING

Six academic tertiary referral centers.

PATIENTS

Ultimately, 221 patients with Bell's palsy who were treated within 7 days of the onset. Serological and polymerase chain reaction examinations were performed to distinguish Bell's palsy from zoster sine herpete.

INTERVENTION

The patients were treated with either valacyclovir (dosage, 1,000 mg/d for 5 days) plus prednisolone (VP [n = 114]) or placebo plus prednisolone (PP [n = 107]) administered orally.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Recovery from the palsy was defined as a score higher than 36 using Yanagihara 40-point scoring system without facial contracture or synkinesis. The patients were followed up until complete recovery occurred or for more than 6 months in cases with a poor prognosis.

RESULTS

The overall rate of patient recovery among those treated with VP (96.5%) was significantly better (p < 0.05) than the rate among those treated with PP (89.7%). The rate of patient recovery was also analyzed by classifying the initial severity of facial palsy. In cases of complete or severe palsy, the rates of patients treated with VP and PP who recovered were 95.7% (n = 92) and 86.6% (n = 82), respectively; the recovery rate for treatment with VP was significantly better than that with PP (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The valacyclovir and prednisolone therapy was more effective in treating Bell's palsy, excluding zoster sine herpete, than the conventional prednisolone therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first controlled study of an antiviral agent in the treatment of a sufficient number of Bell's palsy cases based on an etiologic background.