1396 Prednisolone for Bell’s Palsy in children: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Multicentre Trial

Aims, Objectives and Background Corticosteroids can be used to treat idiopathic facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy) in children, but their effectiveness is uncertain. Aims To determine if prednisolone improves recovery of children with Bell’s palsy at one month. Method Design Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, trial presenting ED palsy. 1 Patients 6 months <18 years, recruited <72 hours after symptom onset, were randomly assigned receive 10 days treatment oral (1 mg/kg) or placebo. The primary outcome: complete function month on the House-Brackmann scale. 2 Secondary outcomes: function, adverse events pain months. Results Conclusion Between October 2015 August 2020, 187 randomised (94 93 placebo) included intention-to-treat analysis. At month, proportions patients who had recovered 49% (n=43/87) group compared 57% (n=50/87) placebo (risk difference -8.1%, 95% CI -22.8 6.7; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.7, 0.4 1.3). these proportion 99% (n=77/78) for 93% (n=76/82) respectively 6.0%, -0.1 12.2; aOR 3.0 0.5 17.7) (figure 1). There no serious little evidence differences secondary outcomes. Abstract 1396 Figure In vast majority recover without treatment. study does not provide that early recovery. References Sullivan F, Swan I, Donna P, Morrison J, Smith B, McKinstry et al . Early acyclovir bell’s N Eng J Med 2007; 357 (16):1598–607. House JW, Brackmann DE. Facial nerve grading system. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1985; (2):146–7.