Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39791289›Full record

ArticleThe Laryngoscope2025

Increasing Incidence of Facial Nerve Disorders in the United States from 2007 to 2022.

Eric X Wei, Allen Green, Jon-Paul Pepper, Sarah R Akkina

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Laryngoscope, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Eric X WeiDivision of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-2641-9681
Allen GreenDivision of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-5172-3626
Jon-Paul PepperDivision of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0001-9416-9170
Sarah R AkkinaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.

Funding

Stanford Center for Clinical & Translational Education and Research (Spectrum)UL1TR003142 · NCATS · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · PI O'HARA, RUTH M · 2019 to 2023
$45.0M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR003142
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIncidence data on Facial Nerve Disorders (FND) and Bell's palsy are currently limited. Prior epidemiological studies have estimated the incidence rate of Bell's palsy to be between 11 and 53/100,000 individuals, although the most cited incidence data are from single regions or municipalities, many of which are outdated from several decades ago.

methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of US adults from 2007 to 2022 using the Merative™ Marketscan® Research Databases. Trends in the incidence of FND were described overall and by specific sociodemographic groups, including age, sex, region, and insurance plan type. Chi-squared and simple logistic regression analyses were performed.

resultsFrom 2007 to 2022, the total adult incidence of all FND was 30.5/100,000, and the total incidence of Bell's palsy alone was 24.5/100,000. Over the study period, there was a significant annual increase of 2.1 cases of FND/100,000 adults (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.8, 2.3; p < 0.001), and a significant total increase of 1.5 cases of Bell's palsy/100,000 adults (95% CI 1.2, 1.7; p < 0.001). The total incidence of FND was higher in males (33.1/100,000) than in females (28.4/100,000, p < 0.001), and greater in older age groups (p < 0.001). Additionally, the incidence of FND varied significantly by region (p < 0.001) and insurance plan type (p < 0.001).

conclusionsThis study provides up-to-date incidence rates for Bell's palsy and facial nerve disorders, based on national administrative claims data. Incidence rates of FND and Bell's palsy alone have been increasing in the United States from 2007 to 2022. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 135:2008-2013, 2025.

Indexed as

Bell PalsyFacial Nerve DiseasesAdolescentAdultAgedDatabases, FactualFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesUnited StatesYoung AdultBell's palsyfacial nerve disordersfacial palsyfacial paralysishemifacial spasmincidenceUnited States

Identifiers

PMID39791289
PMCPMC12082024

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.