THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF MUSCLE
EVOKED POTENCIAL IN BELL’S PALSY

    Electrophysiological tests may offer a valuable information in defining the severity of nerve injury and a possible subsequent dysfunction. For that reasons these tests could be significant prognostic parameters in Bell’s palsy. The basic aim of our study was to evaluate diagnostic and prognostic value of muscle evoked potential (MEP) in Bell’s palsy. Our study included 50 patients with clinical signs of Bell’s palsy, of both sexes, 18 to 80 years of age. We analysed MEP amplitude and MEP latency on the third, seventh, fourteenth and twenty first day of the onset of palsy. In order to estimate prognostic values of these electrophysiological parameters we correlated them with duration of clinical recovery. Our results show that MEP amplitude and MEP latency are of early prognostic importance in Bell’s palsy. On the basis of on these electrophysiological parameters it is possible to predict duration of clinical recovery and outcome of this disease. Acta Medica Medianae 2005; 44(1): 59-64.

    Key words: Bell’s palsy, MEP amplitude, MEP latency