May M, Hardin W B, Sullivan J, Wette R
Laryngoscope. 1976 May;86(5):704-12. doi: 10.1288/00005537-197605000-00011.
Fifty-one patients with Bell's palsy were evaluated within two days of onset and followed for six months without surgical intervention or effective medical treatment in order to observe the natural history of the disease. Sixty-three percent had a complete return while 37 percent had incomplete return. Age, the presence of pain, and taste alterations had no prognostic value. The progression of the palsy, response to maximal stimulation and salivary flow testing were approximately 80 percent accurate in predicting outcome. The salivary flow test was the most useful prognostic indicator since salivary flow became reduced within two days of onset in the patients likely to develop denervation while the other tests did not become altered until 3 to 14 days after onset. In patients with Bell's palsy, the salivation test seems to be the only method capable of predicting denervation before it begins; therefore, it should be ideal for selecting patients for appropriate treatment.
51例贝尔面瘫患者在发病后两天内接受评估，并在无手术干预或有效药物治疗的情况下随访6个月，以观察疾病的自然病程。63%的患者完全恢复，37%的患者不完全恢复。年龄、疼痛的存在以及味觉改变没有预后价值。面瘫的进展、对最大刺激的反应和唾液流量测试在预测结果方面的准确率约为80%。唾液流量测试是最有用的预后指标，因为在可能发生失神经支配的患者中，唾液流量在发病后两天内就会减少，而其他测试直到发病后3至14天才会改变。在贝尔面瘫患者中，唾液分泌测试似乎是唯一能够在失神经支配开始前进行预测的方法；因此，它应该是选择合适治疗患者的理想方法。
