Validation of a French-language Version of Quality of Life Questionnaires in Patients With Peripheral Facial Palsy
Validation of a French-language Version of Quality of Life Questionnaires in Patients With Peripheral Facial Palsy
Facial palsy is a serious and disabling disease whose drudgery and sensation are probably
 underestimated. Psychological, social and economic issues have major impacts although vital
 prognosis is not engaged in this pathology. Facial palsy remains a personal drama for
 patient. Consequences may take the form of: aesthetic deformation, modification of body
 image, with socio-professional consequences. Beside unsightly facial aspects, weakness of
 facial muscles can cause troubles in eating, drinking, talking, communicating personal
 emotions and communication. Facial palsy impacts patients' quality of life (QOL) and affects
 mental health. This wide multidimensional concept usually includes self-measures of physical
 and mental health. QOL is evaluated with general and specific scales. General scales allow to
 compare QOL of different diseases, when specific scales focus on one disease and consider all
 aspects related to this disease and therefore are more appropriate and sensitive in
 dimensions related to patient disease and health.

 "Facial disability Index" (FDi) and "Facial Clinimetric Evaluation" (FaCE) are the most used
 validated questionnaires to assess QOL of patients suffering from peripheral facial palsy
 (PFP). There is no existing validated questionnaire or scale in French version despite many
 French studies on PFP available. Using these questionnaires in French language requires
 translation and strict approval of the new language version. The aim of the study is to
 translate and validate French versions of specific scales of QOL in peripheral facial palsy
 patients: FDI and FaCE. Secondary objective is to evaluate QOL of patients depending on PFP
 etiology. Translation process will be done respecting internationally recognized rules. A
 pilot study will be performed on 5 physicians and 5 patients in order to validate the
 questionnaires translations. French versions obtained will be used for their validation on 80
 patients suffering from PFP.

 Cronbach's alpha will be estimated to check internal consistency of FDI and FaCE scales. Test
 re-test reliability will be calculated with inter-class correlation, reiterating
 questionnaires one week later. Scores of FDI and FaCE scales will be compared to other
 clinical evaluation scales, estimating correlation coefficient. Social function of FDI and
 FaCE scales will be compared with general scale SF-36 scores, estimating a correlation
 coefficient.
Facial palsy is a serious and disabling disease whose drudgery and sensation are probably
 underestimated. Psychological, social and economic issues have major impacts although vital
 prognosis is not engaged in this pathology. Facial palsy remains a personal drama for
 patient. Consequences may take the form of: aesthetic deformation, modification of body
 image, with socio-professional consequences. Beside unsightly facial aspects, weakness of
 facial muscles can cause troubles in eating, drinking, talking, and communicating personal
 emotions. Physical as well as psychological repercussions limit daily verbal and non-verbal
 communication.

 Facial palsy impacts patients' quality of life (QOL) and affects mental health. Consequently,
 QOL impacts and directs the patient's care and the healthcare professionals widely take
 account of QOL.

 This wide multidimensional concept usually includes self-measures of physical and mental
 health. QOL is evaluated with general and specific scales. General scales allow to compare
 QOL of different diseases, when specific scales focus on one disease and consider all aspects
 related to this disease and therefore are more appropriate and sensitive in dimensions
 related to patient disease and health.

 "Facial disability Index" (FDi) and "Facial Clinimetric Evaluation" (FaCE) are the two most
 used validated questionnaires to assess QOL of patients suffering from peripheral facial
 palsy (PFP).

 There is no existing validated questionnaire or scale in French version evaluating QOL of
 patients with PFP despite many French studies on PFP available. Using these questionnaires in
 French language requires translation and strict approval of the new language version.

 The aim of the study is to translate and validate French versions of specific scales of QOL
 in peripheral facial palsy patients: FDI and FaCE. Secondary objective is to evaluate QOL of
 patients depending on PFP etiology.

 Translation process will be done respecting internationally recognized rules. A pilot study
 will be performed on 5 physicians and 5 patients in order to validate the questionnaires
 translations. French versions obtained for these 2 questionnaires will be used for their
 validation on 80 patients suffering from PFP in our hospital.

 Cronbach's alpha will be estimated to check internal consistency of FDI and FaCE scales. Test
 re-test reliability will be calculated with inter-class correlation, reiterating
 questionnaires one week later. Scores of FDI and FaCE scales will be compared to
 House-Brackmann and Sunnybrook clinical evaluation scales, estimating correlation
 coefficient. Social function of FDI and FaCE scales will also be compared with general scale
 SF-36 scores, estimating a correlation coefficient.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patient with peripheral facial palsy

 -  Age over 18 years old.

 -  Subject wishing and able to give informed consent and to respect the requirements of
 the protocol

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patient not being French.

 -  Patient who can not read French.

 -  Facial graduation.

 -  Facial dysfunction other than PFP such as facial trauma.

 -  Major medical or psychiatric illness that, in the opinion of the investigator, would
 pose a risk to the subject or could compromise compliance with the study protocol.

 -  Participation in other studies in the 30 days prior to inclusion in this study.

 -  Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity.