Tracking Magnesium Dynamics in Bell's Palsy: Correlations with Disease Progression and Recovery

This study investigates the relationship between serum magnesium levels and recovery outcomes in Bell's Palsy patients, aiming to elucidate magnesium's potential neuroprotective role in this condition. Conducted as a prospective cohort study at a tertiary care hospital, 50 Bell's Palsy patients had their serum magnesium levels measured at diagnosis and at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-diagnosis. Recovery was assessed using the House-Brackmann scale. The findings indicated an initial average serum magnesium level of 1.8 ± 0.3 mg/dL, increasing to 2.1 ± 0.3 mg/dL over six months. Higher baseline magnesium levels were significantly associated with improved recovery outcomes, with an Odds Ratio of 2.0 (p < 0.001). Longitudinal analysis revealed that increases in serum magnesium levels significantly correlated with improvements in the House-Brackmann grade (p < 0.001). These results suggest that rising serum magnesium levels are linked to better recovery in Bell's Palsy, advocating for further research into magnesium supplementation as a therapeutic strategy to enhance recovery in these patients.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-024-04796-4.