Intravascular hypercoagulability in patients with recent Bell's palsy.

Eighty-four patients were examined for blood coagulability during the acute phase of Bell's palsy. Abnormally high levels of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) and alpha-2 plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex (PIC) were found, with these increases statistically significant. Values tended to be higher in patients within 3 days after occurrence of the palsy when compared to values in patients 4 days or more later. Abnormal TAT and PIC levels in the acute phase then tended to become normalized during the convalescent phase of the disease. These findings indicated that activation of intravascular coagulability had occurred, with patients entering a temporary clot-forming state. Among the several hypotheses for the etiology of Bell's palsy, our findings support a circulation disorder as an influential factor.