Table 2.
Timing of treatment, outcome definitions, and quality of the six studies included in the meta-analysis
| Timing of treatment | Outcome definition | Quality | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration of symptoms before treatment | Maximum length of follow-up | Outcome scales used in study | Definition of positive outcome for meta-analysis | Equivalent outcome on House-Brackmann grade | Jadad score | |
| Adour et al22 | ≤3 days | 4 months | Facial paralysis recovery index | Facial paralysis recovery index score >7 | Recovery to grade 3 or higher | 4 |
| Hato et al12 | ≤3 days or 4-7 days | 6 months | Yanagihara score | Recovery to 36 points or higher | Recovery to grade 1 or high grade 2 | 3 |
| Sullivan et al6 | ≤72 hours | 9 months | House-Brackmann grade | Recovery to grade 1 | Recovery to grade 1 | 5 |
| Engstrom et al14 | ≤72 hours | 12 months | Sunnybrook system and House-Brackmann grade | Complete recovery: Sunnybrook score 100 or House-Brackmann grade 1 | Recovery to grade 1 | 5 |
| Minnerop et al9 | <5 days | >12 months | House-Brackmann grade | Recovery to grade 2 | Recovery to grade 2 or higher | 1 |
| Yeo et al10 | ≤3 days or >3 days | 6 months | House-Brackmann grade | Recovery to grade 2 or higher | Recovery to grade 2 or higher | 3 |