Lena Hafrén1, Riitta Saarinen1, Marie Lundberg1,2. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. 2. Department of Clinical Allergy and Immunology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aetiology of idiopathic facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy, BP) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) are not known. It has been proposed that common respiratory tract viruses play a part in the pathophysiology of these diseases. OBJECTIVES: The incidence of many infectious diseases decreased during the lockdown of the society that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated a possible change in the incidence of BP and SSNHL during the lock-down. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched the patient records for all BP and SSNHL cases between 1 Jan 2017 - 31 Aug 2020 at the hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa that covers a population of about 1.2 million. RESULTS: The mean monthly incidence on BP decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down. No change in the SSNHL incidence was discovered. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: There is reason to speculate that one aetiologic reason for BP are transmittable respiratory tract pathogens.
BACKGROUND: The aetiology of idiopathic facial nerve palsy (Bell's palsy, BP) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) are not known. It has been proposed that common respiratory tract viruses play a part in the pathophysiology of these diseases. OBJECTIVES: The incidence of many infectious diseases decreased during the lockdown of the society that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated a possible change in the incidence of BP and SSNHL during the lock-down. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched the patient records for all BP and SSNHL cases between 1 Jan 2017 - 31 Aug 2020 at the hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa that covers a population of about 1.2 million. RESULTS: The mean monthly incidence on BP decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic lock-down. No change in the SSNHL incidence was discovered. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: There is reason to speculate that one aetiologic reason for BP are transmittable respiratory tract pathogens.