Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Visits for Idiopathic Facial Nerve Palsy: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis

This study evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related social restrictions on emergency department (ED) visits for idiopathic facial nerve palsy (IFNP). A retrospective observational analysis was conducted on a consecutive cohort of patients presenting to a hospital ED from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2021. Monthly ED visit rates for IFNP were compared before and after the onset of the pandemic and the national lockdown in March 2020 using interrupted time-series analysis. Data were standardized to 1,000 ED visits per month. Among 248,606 total ED visits during the study period, 266 (0.11%) were due to IFNP. No significant change in standardized ED visits for IFNP was observed immediately following the pandemic’s onset (1.08/1,000 visits; 95% CI: -0.06 to 2.23; p=0.063). However, a significant reduction in visit rates was noted in the months following March 2020 (-0.08/1,000 visits; 95% CI: -0.15 to -0.002; p=0.043). The decline in IFNP ED visits likely reflects the protective effects of social distancing measures, face mask usage, and reduced viral transmission during the pandemic. These findings challenge claims of increased IFNP risk associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. Furthermore, the results support the hypothesis that neurotropic viruses contribute to the pathogenesis of IFNP and highlight the role of public health measures in reducing disease incidence. This study provides novel insights into the indirect benefits of pandemic-related interventions on viral-associated conditions such as IFNP.