Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34024071›Full record

ArticleArchives of plastic surgery2021

Computerized Sunnybrook facial grading scale (SBface) application for facial paralysis evaluation.

Supasid Jirawatnotai, Pojanan Jomkoh, Tsz Yin Voravitvet, Wuttipong Tirakotai, Natthawut Somboonsap

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Archives of plastic surgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Telerehabilitation for peripheral facial palsy: A scoping review.Journal of telemedicine and telecare · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Supasid JirawatnotaiPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Lerdsin Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Pojanan JomkohPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Lerdsin Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Tsz Yin VoravitvetPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Lerdsin Hospital, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wuttipong TirakotaiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Prasat Neurological Institute, Bangkok, Thailand.
Natthawut SomboonsapDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Buddhasothorn Hospital, Chachoengsao, Thailand.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Sunnybrook facial grading scale is a comprehensive scale for the evaluation of facial paralysis patients. Its results greatly depend on subjective input. This study aimed to develop and validate an automated Sunnybrook facial grading scale (SBface) to more objectively assess disfigurement due to facial paralysis.

methodsAn application compatible with iOS version 11.0 and up was developed. The software automatically detected facial features in standardized photographs and generated scores following the Sunnybrook facial grading scale. Photographic data from 30 unilateral facial paralysis patients were randomly sampled for validation. Intrarater reliability was tested by conducting two identical tests at a 2-week interval. Interrater reliability was tested between the software and three facial nerve clinicians.

resultsA beta version of the SBface application was tested. Intrarater reliability showed excellent congruence between the two tests. Moderate to strong positive correlations were found between the software and an otolaryngologist, including the total scores of the three individual software domains and composite scores. However, 74.4% (29/39) of the subdomain items showed low to zero correlation with the human raters (κ<0.2). The correlations between the human raters showed good congruence for most of the total and composite scores, with 10.3% (4/39) of the subdomain items failing to correspond (κ<0.2).

conclusionsThe SBface application is efficient and accurate for evaluating the degree of facial paralysis based on the Sunnybrook facial grading scale. However, correlations of the software-derived results with those of human raters are limited by the software algorithm and the raters' inconsistency.

Indexed as

Facial paralysisMobile applicationPhotographicScaleSoftware validation

Identifiers

PMID34024071
PMCPMC8143948

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.