Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccination on Bell's Palsy: A Retrospective Comprehensive Analysis Using TriNetX...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Bell's palsy (BP), characterized by sudden facial paralysis, has been observed in COVID-19 patients.
• The precise link between COVID-19 infection and BP, as well as the impact of vaccination on BP incidence, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the incidence and prevalence trends of Bell's palsy (BP) before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To explore the potential influence of COVID-19 vaccination on the occurrence of BP.

Main Methods:

• Utilized TriNetX network data (2016-2024) from nearly 100 million patients.
• Analyzed BP incidence and prevalence, comparing pre- and post-pandemic periods and assessing COVID-19 patients and vaccinated individuals.
• Employed propensity score matching to control for confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Observed a significant upward trend in BP incidence and prevalence from 2016 to 2024, particularly from 2021 onwards.
• BP incidence remained stable in COVID-19 patients, but prevalence increased.
• Propensity score-matched analysis revealed a significantly lower risk of BP in vaccinated individuals compared to unvaccinated individuals (HR: 0.723).

Conclusions:

• Bell's palsy incidence and prevalence significantly rose during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• COVID-19 vaccination demonstrated a potentially protective association, with lower BP rates in vaccinated individuals after adjusting for confounders.
• Pandemic-related lifestyle changes and environmental factors may have increased general population susceptibility to BP.