Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42283161›Full record

ArticleThe Laryngoscope2026

Association Between Prednisone and Delayed Facial Nerve Palsy After Acoustic Neuroma Resection.

Shahid Iqbal, Saad Illahi, Oktay Genel, Krish Suresh, Marc S Schwartz, Rick A Friedman

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Laryngoscope, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Shahid IqbalDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5119-3576
Saad IllahiCalderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, Huddersfield, UK.
Oktay GenelDepartment of Neurosurgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Krish SureshDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Marc S SchwartzDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA.
Rick A FriedmanDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.

Funding

CTSA UM1 Program at University of California San Diego Altman Clinical and Translational Research InstituteUM1TR005449 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Michael A Hogarth, David Mitchell Smith · 2025 to 2026
$20.6M
NCATS NIH HHS UM1 TR005449
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate whether discharge with a prednisone taper is associated with a reduced incidence of delayed facial nerve palsy (DFP) following acoustic neuroma resection.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective weighted case-control study of patients undergoing acoustic neuroma resection via middle fossa, retrosigmoid, or translabyrinthine approaches. Inclusion was restricted to patients with normal facial nerve function (House-Brackmann grade I) preoperatively and at discharge. Cases were patients who developed DFP after discharge, defined as new-onset House-Brackmann grade ≥ II occurring ≥ 72 h postoperatively. Controls were patients without DFP from the same source population. The primary exposure was discharge with a standardized oral prednisone taper (60 mg daily for 9 days followed by a 10 mg/day taper). Inverse probability weighting (IPW) based on propensity scores was used to adjust for confounding by indication. Weighted logistic regression was performed to estimate the association between prednisone taper and DFP.

resultsThe study included 74 cases and 187 controls. Steroid taper was prescribed to 44.6% of cases and 51.3% of controls. In unadjusted analysis, prednisone taper was not associated with a reduction in DFP risk. After IPW adjustment, prednisone taper was not associated with DFP (OR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.48-2.07). Covariate balance was achieved after weighting (SMD < 0.1). Steroid attributable side effects were documented in 10% of treated patients.

conclusionDischarge with a prednisone taper was not associated with a reduced incidence of delayed facial nerve palsy following acoustic neuroma resection. These findings do not support prophylactic corticosteroid use for prevention of DFP. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3:

Indexed as

Facial ParalysisGlucocorticoidsNeuroma, AcousticPostoperative ComplicationsPrednisoneAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTime FactorsGlucocorticoidsPrednisonedelayed facial nerve palsyfacial nerveacoustic neuromaprednisonesteroids

Identifiers

PMID42283161
PMCPMC13460819

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.