Agreement between clinical and electromyographic assessments during the course of peripheric facial paralysis.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the agreement between clinical and electromyographic assessments during the course of facial paralysis, in order to determine whether electromyography adds more information to the clinical examination in determining voluntary and synkinetic movement.


METHODS
Serial clinical and electromyographic assessments were performed.


METHODS
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of a university hospital.


METHODS
Thirty patients with acute complete idiopathic facial paralysis were included.


METHODS
Voluntary and synkinetic movements of the orbicularis oculi and orbicularis oris muscles were graded by Facial Grading System and by needle electromyography at three weeks, and two, three and six months after the onset of paralysis. Weighted kappa (kappa) statistics were performed to measure the agreement between clinical and electromyographic assessments.


RESULTS
Agreement between assessments yielded an overall kappa value of 0.87 for the orbicularis oculi and 0.59 for the orbicularis oris in identifying voluntary movement. electromyography revealed no voluntary movement in the orbicularis oculi, in 65% of the patients in whom slight movement was considered by clinical assessment. In identifying synkinetic movements, an overall kappa value was 0.70 for the orbicularis oculi and 0.85 for the orbicularis oris. Electromyography demonstrated many cases of slight synkinesis that were missed through visual inspection in both muscles.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical evaluation provides sufficient information about recovery in voluntary movement in the orbicularis oris, whereas, in the orbicularis oculi, electromyography adds to the clinical evaluation in determining the extent of paralysis.
On
Arzu Yagiz
AY
Ege University Medical Faculty, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Izmir, Turkey. arzu.on@ege.edu.tr
Yaltirik
Hurrem Pelin
HP
Kirazli
Yesim
Y
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D046608:Synkinesis / Q000503:physiopathology*