ArticleBMC neurology2011
Corticosteroid and antiviral therapy for Bell's palsy: a network meta-analysis.
Article in BMC neurology, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 179 citations in OpenAlex.
- Antiviral treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis).The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Values and Preferences of Korean Patients With Facial Palsy: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Journal of Korean medical science · 2026Article
- Corticosteroids and antiviral treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis).The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026Article
- Contemporary pharmacological strategies for acute peripheral facial palsy: a narrative review with clinical decision considerations.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Review
- Article
- Update on Medical Management of Acute Peripheral Facial Palsy.Journal of audiology & otology · 2025Review
- Corticosteroids: A boon or bane for COVID-19 patients?Steroids · 2022Review
- Bell's Palsy Associated with COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report.Oman medical journal · 2021Article
- Intratympanic Steroid Treatment of Bell's Palsy in Patients with Comorbid Disease: A Preliminary Report.The journal of international advanced otology · 2020Observational
- The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy combined with facial expression exercises in patients with moderate-to-severe Bell's palsy: A study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.International journal of surgery protocols · 2020Article
- Facial Palsy, a Disorder Belonging to Influential Neurological Dynasty: Review of Literature.North American journal of medical sciences · 2016Review
- Facial nerve paralysis in children.World journal of clinical cases · 2015Article
- Comparison of Risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Patients with Distal Radius Fractures After 7 Treatments.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2015Article
- Advances in diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of Bell's palsy.Journal of otology · 2015Article
- Peripheral facial nerve palsy after therapeutic endoscopy.Clinical endoscopy · 2015Article
- Prosthodontic Rehabilitation of Patients with Bell's Palsy: Our Experience.Journal of international oral health : JIOH · 2015Article
- Comparison of the Efficacy of Combination Therapy of Prednisolone - Acyclovir with Prednisolone Alone in Bell's Palsy.Iranian journal of child neurology · 2015Article
- Steroid-antivirals treatment versus steroids alone for the treatment of Bell's palsy: a meta-analysis.International journal of clinical and experimental medicine · 2015Article
- The neurologist's dilemma: a comprehensive clinical review of Bell's palsy, with emphasis on current management trends.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2014Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrevious meta-analyses of treatments for Bell's palsy are still inconclusive due to different comparators, insufficient data, and lack of power. We therefore conducted a network meta-analysis combining direct and indirect comparisons for assessing efficacy of steroids and antiviral treatment (AVT) at 3 and 6 months.
methodsWe searched Medline and EMBASE until September 2010 using PubMed and Elsviere search engines. A network meta-analysis was performed to assess disease recovery using a mixed effects hierarchical model. Goodness of fit of the model was assessed, and the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated.
resultsSix studies (total n = 1805)were eligible and contributed to the network meta-analysis. The pooled ORs for resolution at 3 months were 1.24 (95% CI: 0.79 - 1.94) for Acyclovir plus Prednisolone and 1.02 (95% CI: 0.73 - 1.42) for Valacyclovir plus Prednisolone, versus Prednisolone alone. Either Acyclovir or Valacyclovir singly had significantly lower efficacy than Prednisolone alone, i.e., ORs were 0·44 (95% CI: 0·28 - 0·68) and 0·60 (95% CI: 0·42 - 0·87), respectively. Neither of the antiviral agents was significantly different compared with placebo, with a pooled OR of 1·25 (95% CI: 0·78 - 1·98) for Acyclovir and 0·91 (95% CI: 0·63 - 1·31) for Valacyclovir. Overall, Prednisolone-based treatment increased the chance of recovery 2-fold (95% CI: 1·55 - 2·42) compared to non-Prednisolone-based treatment. To gain 1 extra recovery, 6 and 26 patients need to be treated with Acyclovir and prednisolone compared to placebo and prednisolone alone, respectively.
conclusionsOur evidence suggests that the current practice of treating Bell's palsy with AVT plus corticosteroid may lead to slightly higher recovery rates compared to treating with prednisone alone but this does not quite reach statistical significance; prednisone remains the best evidence-based treatment.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.