Bell's palsy and autoimmunity

Given the safety profile of acyclovir, valacyclovir, and short-course oral corticosteroids, patients who present within three days of the onset of symptoms should be offered combination therapy. However it seems logical that in fact, steroids exert their beneficial effect via immunosuppressive action, as is the case in some other autoimmune disorders. It is to be hoped that (monoclonal) antibodies and/or T-cell immunotherapy might provide more specific treatment guidelines in the management of Bell's palsy.