[The determination of endothelin in patients with bell palsy and its significances bell palsy and its significances].

OBJECTIVE

To detect the role of the plasma endothelin in the process of Bell palsy and its relationship to prognosis.

METHOD: The plasma endothelin were respectively determined with radioimmunoassay in 21 patients with Bell palsy and 20 normal control subjects.

RESULT: The patients who were suffering from Bell palsy exhibited a statistically significant (P < 0.01) increase in the endothelin level compared with that in the 20 normal control subjects. A significantly higher level of the plasma endothelin was found in unsatisfactory recovery group compared with that in satisfactory recovery group.

CONCLUSION

Endothelin may play an important role in the process of Bell palsy, and may be a useful marker for the assessment of prognosis to the patients.