Peripheral Blood T and B Lymphocyte Subpopulations in Bell's Palsy

Abstract
A prospective clinical, virological and immunological study was performed on 25 consecutive Bell's palsy (BP) patients. Multiple cranial nerve involvement was found in 15 patients. A significant decrease in the peripheral blood T lymphocyte percentage as well as an increase in B lymphocyte percentage (p3, C4) and antiviral antibodies to herpes simplex and zoster, EBV, cytomegalic virus, adenovirus, influenza and mumps. The clinical and immunological data of BP show a similar pattern to those of Guillain-Barre syndrome suggesting that BP may be an antoimmune demyelinating cranial polyneuritis which may be caused by a preceding viral infection.