Predisposing factors in Bell's palsy: a clinical study with reference to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, clotting mechanism and lipid disturbance.

The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of risk factors for vascular disease like hypertension, lipid disturbances and diabetes mellitus in a group of patients with Bell's palsy. These patients were compared to patients with a peripheral facial paralysis of known origin. We did find a statistically significant difference between the Bell's palsy patients and their controls for cardio-vascular variables only. Hypertension proved to be by far the most important single discriminating variable.