Stability of benefits of mime therapy in sequelae of facial nerve paresis during a 1-year period.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the stability of benefits of mime therapy, a modality of physiotherapy for patients with facial nerve paresis, during a period of 1 year.


METHODS
A prospective follow-up build on a randomized clinical trial in which a treatment group is compared with a control group.


METHODS
Physiotherapy outpatient department.


METHODS
Forty-eight patients with a history of a facial nerve paresis of 9 months or more.


METHODS
Mime therapy.


METHODS
Sequelae of facial nerve paresis were measured using the same measurement instruments as in the randomized clinical trial--the Sunnybrook and the House-Brackmann (HB) Facial Grading Systems, the lip length and pout indices, a stiffness scale, and the Facial Disability Index. Stability of outcome level and of interpatient differences is analyzed.


RESULTS
Of the 46 patients who completed the follow-ups, repeated-measures analyses of covariance revealed no significant differences in the average scores nor significant trends of the posttherapy measurements, except for the pout index and the Facial Disability Index-social. For six sequelae (except HB), 95% of patient-sequel combinations showed immediate improvement after mime therapy, for HB grades this was 74%. Where sequelae improved, the posttherapy individual courses (T2-T3-T4) showed, also for HB, in majority absence of deterioration; benefits obtained were stable.


CONCLUSIONS
Mime therapy is effective in patients with facial nerve paresis and benefits are stable 1 year after therapy.
Beurskens
Carien H G
CH
Department of Physiotherapy, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. c.beurskens@fysiocss.umcn.nl
Heymans
Peter G
PG
Oostendorp
Rob A B
RA
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005149:Facial Expression; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome