Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33159420›Full record

ArticleBrain and behavior2021

Facial palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Luca Codeluppi, Francesco Venturelli, Jessica Rossi, Antonio Fasano, Giulia Toschi, Francesca Pacillo, Francesco Cavallieri, Paolo Giorgi Rossi, Franco Valzania

Open access · goldAbstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Brain and behavior, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 39 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
39citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
6.5field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

39 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 85 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Facial Nerve Palsy Amid the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Pooled Analysis.Journal of otolaryngology - head & neck surgery = Le Journal d'oto-rhino-laryngologie et de chirurgie cervico-faciale
    Pooled it
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Is There an Association between Bell Palsy in Pediatric Patients and COVID-19?International archives of otorhinolaryngology · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Has Coranavirus Disease 2019 Changed the Incidence and Outcome of Bell's Palsy?The journal of international advanced otology · 2024
    Article
  10. Article
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  13. Article
  14. Review
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  18. ENT symptoms in acute COVID-19: a narrative review.Acta otorhinolaryngologica Italica : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di otorinolaringologia e chirurgia cervico-facciale · 2022
    Review
  19. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Luca CodeluppiNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Francesco VenturelliClinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Jessica RossiNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Antonio FasanoNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Giulia ToschiNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Francesca PacilloNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Francesco CavallieriNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5836-1982
Paolo Giorgi RossiClinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Franco ValzaniaNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Azienda Sanitaria Unità Locale di Reggio Emilia · ITUniversity of Modena and Reggio Emilia · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo compare the incidence and clinical features of individuals presenting in emergency rooms (ER) with facial palsy during the Italian COVID-19 outbreak and in the same period of 2019.

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records for all accesses to the six ER in the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy, during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (27 February-3 May 2020) to identify all cases of diagnosed facial palsy. Clinical information was retrieved for each patient and compared with that of facial palsy cases presenting in 2019.

resultBetween 27 February and 3 May 2020, 38 patients presented to provincial ERs for facial palsy; in 2019, there were 22 cases, for an incidence rate ratio of 1.73 (95% CI 1.02-2.92) for the 2020 cohort. Of the 2020 cohort, eight patients (21%) presented with active or recent symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection, compared with 2 (9%) in 2019 (p = .299); one was tested and resulted positive for SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, patients were younger (-11 years, p = .037) than those of the previous year and manifested a longer lag (+1.1 days, p = .001) between symptoms onset and ER presentation.

conclusionWe observed a higher occurrence of facial palsy during the COVID-19 outbreak compared to the same period of the previous year; 21% of patients presenting with facial palsy had active or recent symptoms consistent with SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting an excess risk of facial palsy during or after COVID-19. These patients searched for medical attention later, probably because of the fear of contracting COVID-19 during assistance.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overComorbidityCOVID-19Facial ParalysisFemaleHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2Young AdultBell's palsyCOVID-19facial palsynerveSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID33159420
PMCPMC7821573
OpenAlexW3094677267

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.