title: Scales of degree of facial paralysis: analysis of agreement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has become common to use scales to measure the degree of involvement of facial paralysis in phonoaudiological clinics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the inter- and intra-rater agreement of the scales of degree of facial paralysis and to elicit point of view of the appraisers regarding their use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational clinical study of the Chevalier and House & Brackmann scales performed by five speech therapists with clinical experience, who analyzed the facial expression of 30 adult subjects with impaired facial movements two times, with a one week interval between evaluations. The kappa analysis was employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was excellent inter-rater agreement for both scales (kappa>0.80), and on the Chevalier scale a substantial intra-rater agreement in the first assessment (kappa=0.792) and an excellent agreement in the second assessment (kappa=0.928). The House & Brackmann scale showed excellent agreement at both assessments (kappa=0.850 and 0.857). As for the appraisers' point of view, one appraiser thought prior training is necessary for the Chevalier scale and, four appraisers felt that training is important for the House & Brackmann scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both scales have good inter- and intra-rater agreement and most of the appraisers agree on the ease and relevance of the application of these scales.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kércia Melo de Oliveira
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Mansueto
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mourão
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa Rodrigues
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: laelia@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Laelia Cristina Caseiro
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Vicente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005149:Facial Expression; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
keywords: Avaliação; Classification; Classificação; Escalas; Evaluation; Facial paralysis; Fonoaudiologia; Paralisia facial; Scales; Speech therapy