Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39792199›Full record

ReviewEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2025

Analytical review of facial nerve palsy following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: comprehensive assessment.

Ahmad A Mirza, Abdulaziz H Almalki, Zaid AlMubarak, Jennifer L Spiegel, Valerie Dahm, Vincent Y Lin

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

6 authors.

Ahmad A MirzaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. aamirza1@kau.edu.sa.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6035-9566
Abdulaziz H AlmalkiDivision of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Zaid AlMubarakDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
Jennifer L SpiegelDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6187-0195
Valerie DahmDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Vincent Y LinDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 6 Queen's Park Crescent West, Suite 120, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H2, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0505-158X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has reduced COVID-19 infection, though facial nerve palsy (FNP) has emerged as a notable side effect of the vaccine. We evaluated the current literature on the clinical presentation and outcomes of FNP related to COVID-19 vaccination.

methodsA comprehensive search of seven databases was conducted for studies up to January 2023. We included individually reported patients on FNP following COVID-19 vaccination, while cases with co-existing neurological disorders or secondary causes of FNP were excluded. Pooled descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted, with prognostic factors evaluated through regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

resultsA total of 33 studies were included, with data from 52 patients who developed post-COVID-19 vaccination FNP (PV-FNP). Most cases (71%) followed mRNA vaccines, primarily occurring after the first dose and within the first week post-vaccination. Nearly all cases (98%) were unilateral, with Grade III palsy being most common. Complete recovery was achieved in 55% of patients, significantly lower than pre-pandemic rate (83%). A longer latency period was associated with a reduced likelihood of full recovery, and females experienced faster recovery compared to males.

conclusionFNP following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination tends to present as mild and unilateral, with a lower full recovery rate compared to pre-pandemic cases. Symptoms often develop within the first week after vaccination, and earlier symptom onset is associated with a higher likelihood of full recovery. Recognizing these patterns provides valuable guidance for clinicians in counseling patients about prognosis and managing follow-up care effectively.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesFacial ParalysisVaccinationFemaleHumansMaleSARS-CoV-2COVID-19 VaccinesBell PalsyCOVID-19Facial nerve diseasesSARS-CoV-2Vaccination

Identifiers

PMID39792199

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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.