Table 2.
Quarterly time series regression analysis of Bell's palsy treatment from 2001 to 2012
| Event | Segments* | Percentage of untreated (95% CI) | Percentage of prednisolone (95% CI) | Percentage of combination (95% CI) | Percentage of antiviral (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline | 2001q1 (intercept) | 60.43 (57.10 to 63.78) | 33.39 (29.79 to 36.99) | 5.10 (1.78 to 8.42) | 1.09 (−0.09 to 2.26) |
| 1 | 2001q1–2004q1 | −0.28 (−0.69 to 0.13) | −0.01 (−0.47 to 0.44) | 0.18 (−0.24 to 0.60) | 0.11 (−0.04 to 0.27) |
| 2004q2 step change | 2.15 (−2.15 to 6.44) | −6.32 (−11.03 to −1.60) | 3.61 (−0.74 to 7.96) | 0.57 (−1.05 to 2.18) | |
| 2004q2–2007q3 | −0.81 (−1.36 to −0.25) | −0.27 (−0.88 to 0.34) | 1.09 (0.53 to 1.65) | −0.01 (−0.22 to 0.20) | |
| 2 | 2007q4 step change | −2.13 (−5.96 to 1.70) | 5.10 (0.90 to 9.31) | −2.17 (−6.05 to 1.72) | −0.81 (−2.25 to 0.63) |
| 2007q4–20012q3 | 1.22 (0.79 to 1.64) | 0.71 (0.41 to 1.18) | −1.73 (−2.17 to −1.30) | −0.19 (−0.35 to −0.03) | |
| Final | 2012q3 | 43.98 (38.02 to 49.94) | 33.83 (28.15 to 39.51) | 18.42 (13.76 to 23.08) | 3.76 (1.47 to 6.05) |
*Trends in prescribing before and after the event including step changes. Significantly rising or falling trends underlined.
1=2004 Cochrane systematic reviews of clinical trials on corticosteroids and aciclovir or valaciclovir for Bell's palsy.3 4
2=2007 Scottish Bell's palsy study.5
Final=percentage of patients treated for Bell's palsy at the end of the study period according to the categories of treatment.