Cochrane · systematic review · CD001869
Antiviral treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis)
Gagyor, I, Madhok, VB, Daly, F, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2019 · Cochrane Library
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
3
current version
GRADE rated
3
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 0 · 0%Very low 1 · 33.3%Low 1 · 33.3%Moderate 1 · 33.3%High 0 · 0%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Current version onlyAntivirals plus corticosteroids compared to corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment (AS versus OS) for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis)
Population: Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis)
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Incomplete recovery at end of study № of participants: 766 (3 RCTs) Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment (AS versus OS) | RR 0.81 [0.38, 1.74] | NR | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Motor synkinesis or crocodile tears № of participants: 469 (2 RCTs) Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment (AS versus OS) | RR 0.56 [0.36, 0.87] | NR | Moderate Downgraded: publication bias |
Adverse events № of participants: 656 (2 RCTs) Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment (AS versus OS) | RR 1.17 [0.81, 1.68] | NR | Very low Downgraded: imprecision, publication bias |
Antivirals plus corticosteroids compared to corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis)
Population: People with one‐sided mild, moderate, or severe Bell’s palsy of unknown cause
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Incomplete recovery at end of study House‐Brackmann scale, Sunnybrook score, Yanagihara score Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 0.61 [0.39, 0.97] | 8 studies · 1315 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency |
Motor synkinesis or crocodile tears Clinical assessment Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 0.56 [0.36, 0.87] | 3 studies · 469 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Adverse events Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 1.18 [0.83, 1.69] | 3 studies · 877 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision, publication bias |
Antivirals plus corticosteroids compared to corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis)
Population: People with mild, moderate, or severe one‐sided Bell’s palsy of unknown cause
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Incomplete recovery at end of study House‐Brackmann scale, Sunnybrook score, Yanagihara score Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 0.69 [0.47, 1.02] | 9 studies · 1715 participants | Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency |
Motor synkinesis or crocodile tears Clinical assessment Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 0.73 [0.54, 0.99] | 3 studies · 869 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Adverse events Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 1.18 [0.83, 1.69] | 3 studies · 877 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |
Antivirals plus corticosteroids compared to corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis)
Population: People with mild, moderate, or severe one‐sided Bell’s palsy of unknown cause
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Incomplete recovery at end of study House‐Brackmann scale, Sunnybrook score, Yanagihara score Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 0.69 [0.47, 1.02] | 9 studies · 1715 participants | Moderate Downgraded: inconsistency |
Motor synkinesis or crocodile tears Clinical assessment Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 0.73 [0.54, 0.99] | 3 studies · 869 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias |
Adverse events Antivirals plus corticosteroids vs corticosteroids plus placebo or no treatment | RR 1.18 [0.83, 1.69] | 3 studies · 877 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency |