DEMOGRAPHIC AND SEASONAL VARIATION OF BELL’S PALSY IN MARDAN REGION, PAKISTAN- A FIFTEEN YEARS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52206/jsmc.2016.6.1.733-736Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bell’s palsy is idiopathic facial nerve paralysis of sudden onset characterized by
unilateral facial weakness. The influence of age is more on its occurrence. Men and women affects
almost equally, often unilateral with no side predilection, but may be bilateral in small number of cases.
Bell’s palsy has multi factorial etiology, climate factors such as temperature, humidity and barometric
pressure have been implicated in triggering off the pathogenic mechanism of Bell’s palsy.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the influence of different seasons on the occurrence of Bell’s palsy.
MATERIAL & METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in departments of medicine, ENT
of Mardan Medical Complex hospital Mardan region-KPK,Pakistan. Two hundred and one cases (males
91, females 110) of Bell’s palsy between 1 to 80 years of age were included. This study was performed
from January 2002 to December 2015. Patient distribution was recorded by seasonal pattern, age groups,
gender wise and affected side. The collected data were analyzed with standard statistical methods using
SPSS version 20.0.
RESULTS: Out of total 201 patients, there were 45.3% males and 54.7% of females. The mean age of
total population was 36.21 SD (19.97); consisted of 38.03 SD (18.76) of male and 34.71 SD (20.88) of
females. The incidence of Bell’s palsy was high in age group of 31-40 years; 42(20.9%) and in 11-20
years; 41(20.4%). Bell’s palsy was more in females 110(54.7%) as compared to male; 91(45.3%). The
cases with left side Bell’s palsy were more 101 (50.2%) than the right side 100(49.8%). The high
incidence of Bell’s palsy was recorded during the month of December; (19.9%) and (13.9%) in January
of winter season.
CONCLUSION: Winter season has effect on the incidence of Bell’s palsy in district Mardan. However
a larger sample size recruited from multicenter would be helpful in further clarifying the fact that
whether all these differences are purely due to environmental, climatic and seasonal factors or due to
racial susceptibility.
KEY WORDS: Bell’s palsy, seasonal variation, Mardan region.
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