Peripheral facial paralysis can be neurological event revealing hiv infection

Abstract

Peripheral facial paralysis (PFP ) is a neurological manifestation commonly encountered in neurosurgical consultation. The objective of this study was to correlate the disease and HIV AIDS. This is a retrospective study from October 2008 to September 2012 which involved all patients with PFP in consultation with neurosurgery. Patients had a complete neurological examination and blood diagnostic tests , biological and radiological . An otorhinolaryngologic consultation was carried out by all patients. Our series included 36 patients including 11 women . The ages ranged between 20 and 42 years . Facial paralysis was right in 22 patients ( 61.11 %) , paresis interested hemifacial . The review otorhinolaryngologic was normal in all patients as all brain CT-scan. In the series 28 patients ( 77.77 %) were séropositive The Elisa and Western blot confirmed the presence of HIV-1 in all patients and HIV 2 in 8 . The treatment consisted in the administration of prednisolone and antiretrovirals. The outcome was favorable in all patients with the gradual disappearance of facial paralysis in 20 patients in 8 weeks and 16 more in 6 months. The presence of HIV 1 and 2 in 77.77 % of patients due to facial paralysis is an indicator of HIV AIDS in the department of neurosurgery.