Research Information System
Journal of Ear Nose Throat and Head Neck Surgery, vol.33, no.3, pp.121-129, 2025 (Scopus)
Objective: To investigate the use of steroid-induced leukocytosis (SIL) in Bell’s palsy to predict recovery and guide personalized treatment options for patients for the first time in the literature. Material and Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 86 Bell’s palsy patients who received prednisone within 72 hours of symptom onset were observed at a single tertiary referral center between 2017-2022. Leukocyte counts and facial function were assessed during the first 5 days of treatment. Results: The study involved 86 patients, with a mean age of 46.32±11.8 years for the recovery group (n=71) and 48.65±12.07 years for the nonrecovery group (n=16).The results showed a significant effect of time on leukocyte counts (p<0.001), a significant effect of recovery status on leukocyte counts (p=0.044), and a significant interaction between time and recovery status (p=0.014). Subgroup analyses of leukocyte levels indicated that there were significant differences between the nonrecovery and recovery groups on 4 of the predictor variables; peak day (p=0.042), 5-day average (p<0.001), initial increase (p<0.001), and peak-pre level (p<0.049). Binary logistic regression analysis identified 2 predictor variables, the 5-day average [p=0.007, odds ratio (OR): 5.89, Confidence Interval (CI): 1.63-21.24], and the initial increase (p=0.006, OR: 2.29, CI: 1.27-4.13), as statistically significant for the outcome variable. The sensitivity and specificity of the initial increase were 81.7% and 66.2% at a cut-off value of 5.23, respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study provide valuable insights into the usefulness of SIL as a predictor of treatment success in patients with Bell’s’ palsy.