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Comparison of nerve conduction study and transcranial magnetic stimulation for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of idiopathic facial palsy

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Abstract

Objective

Multiple electrophysiologic studies have been conducted in the evaluation of facial neuropathy. In our study, the diagnostic and prognostic values of nerve conduction studies (NCSs) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were compared for idiopathic unilateral facial neuropathy.

Method

We recruited patients with newly diagnosed idiopathic unilateral facial neuropathy and performed a blink reflex test, facial NCSs, and TMS. The amplitude of facial compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and motor evoked potential (MEP) between the affected and unaffected sides of the face was compared.

Result

A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the final analysis. TMS yielded a better detection rate, and MEP reduction rate was significantly higher than CMAP reduction rate, early in the course of the disease. Poor prognosis was positively associated with the CMAP reduction rate. The cutoff value of the CMAP reduction rate in the prediction of poor prognosis was established as 0.42.

Conclusion

Facial TMS could detect idiopathic unilateral facial neuropathy with a high sensitivity when used as an early diagnostic tool. Facial NCS could predict prognosis, and the CMAP reduction rate was significantly associated with poor short-term prognosis.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all of the study participants. We also appreciated that this manuscript was edited by Wallace Academic Editing.

Code availability

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Funding

This work was supported by grants from E-DA hospital research project (EDAHC108005).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, E-DA Hospital/I-Shou University, No. 1, Yida Rd., Jiaosu Village Yanchao District, Kaohsiung City, 82445, Taiwan

    Huan-Jan Lin, Tzu-Tung Tsai & Shih-Pin Hsu

  2. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, No. 123, Dapi Rd., Niaosong Dist., Kaohsiung City, 833, Taiwan

    Po-Cheng Chen

  3. Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, Daxue Rd., East Dist., Tainan City, 701, Taiwan

    Po-Cheng Chen

  4. Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, No. 8, Yida Rd., Jiaosu Village Yanchao District, Kaohsiung City, 82445, Taiwan

    Shih-Pin Hsu

Authors
  1. Huan-Jan Lin
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  2. Po-Cheng Chen
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  3. Tzu-Tung Tsai
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  4. Shih-Pin Hsu
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Contributions

Dr. Lin was the chief investigator of the study. Dr. Chen was responsible for the data extraction and statistical analysis. Dr. Tsai and Dr. Hsu contributed to patient recruitment and article writing, and Dr. Hsu was the tutor of the research project. All authors reviewed the draft and contributed to the final version

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shih-Pin Hsu.

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Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study conformed to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of E-DA Hospital (EMRP40107N). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Lin, HJ., Chen, PC., Tsai, TT. et al. Comparison of nerve conduction study and transcranial magnetic stimulation for early diagnosis and prognosis prediction of idiopathic facial palsy. Neurol Sci 42, 4149–4154 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05095-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05095-4

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