Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41743051›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in neurology

Retrospective cohort study evaluating patient-reported outcomes following intensive electromyography and video-biofeedback training in chronic non-flaccid facial palsy.

Annika Kunzler, Susanne Hesse, Katharina Geißler, Jonas Ballmaier, Helene Kreysa, Christian Dobel, Susanne Saal, Orlando Guntinas-Lichius, Gerd Fabian Volk

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Article in Frontiers in neurology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Annika KunzlerDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Susanne HesseDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Katharina GeißlerDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Jonas BallmaierDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Helene KreysaDepartment for General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany.
Christian DobelDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Susanne SaalDepartment of Health and Nursing, Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena, Jena, Germany.
Orlando Guntinas-LichiusDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Gerd Fabian VolkDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Chronic non-flaccid peripheral facial palsy is frequently associated with synkinesis, residual motor deficits, and reduced quality of life. Evidence-based, standardized rehabilitation protocols remain limited. This study examined the effect of an intensive two-week electromyography (EMG) and video-based biofeedback program on changes in physical and psychosocial patient-reported outcomes in patients with chronic facial palsy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with chronic non-flaccid facial palsy, either with synkinesis or residual hypotonia, who completed a two-week EMG and video-biofeedback program between 2020 and 2023. The intervention targeted synkinetic co-activation and improved voluntary motor control in hypotonia. Data consisted of routine documentation and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) collected at baseline 6 months before therapy (T1), therapy initiation (T2), therapy conclusion (T3), and six-month follow-up (T4). PROMs included the Facial Disability Index (FDI), Facial Clinimetric Evaluation Scale (FaCE), Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Analyses used repeated-measures ANOVA and segmented regression. Results: A total of 175 patients were included. Significant improvements were observed across all PROMs. From T2 to T3, FDI total score increased by 5.24 points (95% CI 3.90 to 6.60) and FaCE total score by 9.86 points (95% CI 7.80 to 11.92). SF-36 showed improvements in social functioning (+4.67 points, 95% CI 2.19 to 7.15) and emotional well-being (+4.32 points, 95% CI 2.60 to 6.00). BDI decreased by 3.29 points (95% CI -4.63 to -1.96). Segmented regression indicated small but significant pre-therapy improvements from T1 to T2. At follow-up, outcomes remained above baseline, with FDI total score rising from 65.64 ± 14.88 at T1 to 75.31 ± 13.83 at T4 and FaCE total score from 53.89 ± 16.54 to 63.72 ± 17.10 (all Conclusion: Participation in an intensive EMG- and video-based biofeedback program was associated with clinically relevant and sustained improvements in facial function, quality of life, and psychosocial well-being in patients with chronic non-flaccid facial palsy. Age- and gender-related differences highlight the importance of individualized rehabilitation approaches.

Indexed as

chronic facial palsyEMG biofeedbackfacial paralysispatient-reported outcomesquality of liferehabilitationsynkinesis

Identifiers

PMID41743051
PMCPMC12929104

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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.