Τίτλος:
Seasonal variation of Bell's palsy in Athens, Greece - A hospital-based
retrospective evaluation over fifteen years
Γλώσσες Τεκμηρίου:
Αγγλικά
Περίληψη:
Epidemiological data on the incidence of Bell’s palsy (BP) are
conflicting. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the
variation of cases of BP acutely presented in the emergency room of our
department over a 15-year period (January 1990 to December 2004). We
examined the monthly and seasonal distribution of BPs among 36,312
patients who came to our emergency services and compared it with the
assumed equal distribution of cases over the year (null hypothesis)
using x(2) techniques. During the observation period 1,252 of all
patients (3.45%) presented due to BP. A decline during the summer was
observed, in contrast to a peak documented during the autumn and winter.
January and July were the months with the highest and lowest frequency
of BP, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed a significantly
different seasonal (x(2) = 10.569; d.f. = 3; p = 0.014) and monthly
(x(2) = 25.445; d.f. = 11; p = 0.008) pattern of BP cases. The
distribution of cases of BP shows a significant variation with a decline
during the summer and an increase during the colder period of the year.
A similar pattern has been described for reactivated herpetic ocular
infections. Since a similar pathogenetic mechanism is regarded as the
main cause of BP, the chronobiological aspects and the influence of
meteorological factors on the reactivation of latent infections deserves
further prospective evaluation.
Συγγραφείς:
Spengos, K
Sameli, S
Stouraitis, G
Kolias, A
Koulouri, O
and Kokkinos, Z
Makrylou, I
Tsivgoulis, A
Tsivgoulis, G and
Vassilopoulos, D
Περιοδικό:
European Neurological Review
Λέξεις-κλειδιά:
Bell’s palsy, epidemiology; facial nerve; Bell’s palsy, seasonal
distribution
