Spike in facial paralysis among older diabetic Koreans during Covid-19: study

The number of cases of facial paralysis in Korea increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially among older adults with diabetes, according to a new study.

Facial paralysis is a neurological disorder that results in the inability to move the face and paralyzes the muscles, including Bell's palsy and Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. The exact cause of facial paralysis is still unknown, but it has been linked to viral infections, including herpes simplex virus. Recently, facial paralysis has been reported as an early symptom of Covid-19 infection, raising interest in the connection between the virus and facial paralysis.

Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital Bucheon said Wednesday that a joint research team led by Professors Lee Jong-dae and Lee Se-ah from the hospital's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Surgery compared and analyzed the incidence, recovery, and recurrence rates of facial paralysis before (2017-2019) and after (2020-2022) the Covid-19 pandemic based on data from 943 patients treated for facial paralysis at five university hospitals in Korea.

The results found that the incidence of Bell's palsy increased by 8.3 percentage points, from 75.3 percent before the pandemic to 83.6 percent afterward. The full recovery rate fell from 88.2 percent to 73.9 percent, and the relapse rate increased from 2.9 percent to 7.5 percent. The average age of patients with Bell's palsy rose from 47 to 53 years, and the share of patients with diabetes increased from 8.5 percent to 24.2 percent, indicating a significant increase in the risk of Bell's palsy in older adults with diabetes. In contrast, there were no significant changes in patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

“This study suggests that the Covid-19 virus or vaccination may have directly or indirectly influenced the development of facial paralysis,” Professor Lee said. “Further research is needed to identify the association and pathogenesis between Covid-19 and facial paralysis.”