Effects of administration of high dose hydrocortisone on Bell's palsy.

As an improved maintenance therapy for Bell's palsy, Stennert recently introduced large-dose steroid administration in the early stage of the disease with i.v. infusion of low-molecular dextran. The steroid administration aims at improving the microcirculation. This therapy achieved a 96% complete healing rate. However, because of side-effects such as hepatic and renal disorders or gastric ulcer, this therapy has not been widely used. In the present study, we investigated an improved treatment method based on Stennert's method. It has a much lower incidence of side effects, and can be used in routine clinical practice. The medicines employed in our therapy were hydrocortisone sodium succinate (Solu-cortef), hydroxymethylated starch (Hespander) and D-mannitol (Manitol). Subjects were 53 Bell's palsy patients for whom treatment could be started within 2 weeks from the onset of the disease. Curative rate in the patients who received large-dose administration of Solu-cortef was 96.2% in the 24th week, and the therapy was considered to be applicable in routine clinical practice for Bell's palsy.