Taste and acoustic reflex after recovery from facial muscle paralysis in patients with facial nerve palsy

Abstract

Background

There are few studies on taste or acoustic reflex (AR) in patients after recovery from facial muscle paralysis (FMP).

Objectives

To investigate the recovery of AR and taste in patients who have recovered from peripheral facial nerve palsy (FNP).

Materials and methods

The study included 25 patients whose FMP had resolved after treatment for FNP. A difference in taste threshold of ≤4 dB between the affected and unaffected sides in the electric taste test was defined as normal; an AR on the affected side was assessed to be ≥90% of the AR on the unaffected side was defined as normal.

Results

Six months after treatment, 8% of patients with FNP who had recovered from FMP still showed taste disorders, and 60% of patients showed abnormal AR. The number of subjects whose electric taste threshold was normal after treatment was significantly higher than the number of subjects whose AR assessment was normal (p < .01).

Conclusion and significance

This study demonstrates that even among subjects whose FMP is resolved after treatment for FNP, there are some whose taste and AR do not recover. Physicians should be aware of ear symptoms persisting after facial muscle recovery.

Chinese abstract

背景：关于面肌麻痹（FMP）康复后, 患者味觉或声反射（AR）的研究很少。

目的：调查周围性面神经麻痹（FNP）患者的 AR 和味觉恢复情况。

材料和方法：该研究包括 25 名在FNP治疗后 FMP消退的患者。在电味觉测试中, 受影响侧和未受影响侧之间的味觉阈值差异为 ≤4 dB, 被定义​​为正常；受影响一侧的 AR 是未受影响的一侧AR 的 90%, 被定义为正常。

结果：治疗 6 个月后, 8% 的从 FMP 中恢复的 FNP 患者仍然具有味觉障碍, 60% 的患者表现为 AR 异常。治疗后电味觉阈值正常的受试者人数显著高于 AR 正常的受试者人数 (p < .01)。

结论和意义：本研究表明, 即使在FNP 治疗后 FMP 消退, 有些人的味觉和 AR 没有恢复。医生们应注意面部肌肉恢复后持续存在的耳部症状。

Keywords:

• Facial nerve palsy
• taste
• acoustic reflex

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).