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Cystic fibrosis presenting with bilateral facial palsy

Anna P Basu1, Prashant Kumar, Anita M Devlin

  • 1Royal Victoria Infirmary, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. a.p.basu@ncl.ac.uk

European Journal of Paediatric Neurology : EJPN : Official Journal of the European Paediatric Neurology Society
|February 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Cystic fibrosis can cause facial palsy in infants due to vitamin A deficiency. Supplementation and standard cystic fibrosis care improved the infant's facial nerve function.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Pulmonology
  • Clinical Nutrition

Background:

  • Facial palsy in infants can be idiopathic, necessitating thorough investigation.
  • Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder affecting multiple organ systems.
  • Hypovitaminosis A is a known complication in malabsorptive conditions like CF.

Observation:

  • A 15-week-old male infant presented with bilateral lower motor neuron facial palsy.
  • The infant experienced growth deterioration, worsening cough, and wheeze.
  • Diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was confirmed, with co-existing hypovitaminosis A.

Findings:

  • Standard cystic fibrosis management, including vitamin A supplementation, was initiated.
  • The infant showed improvement in bilateral lower motor neuron facial palsy.
  • This suggests a potential link between hypovitaminosis A and facial nerve dysfunction in CF.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of screening for vitamin A deficiency in infants with CF.
  • Suggests vitamin A repletion as a therapeutic strategy for certain neurological manifestations in CF.
  • Underscores the multifaceted impact of cystic fibrosis on infant development and neurological function.

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