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Health-related quality of life in blepharospasm or hemifacial spasm
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Hamburg, Hamburg. reimer@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Objectives:
Health-related quality of life (HRQL) has become an important outcome criterion of medical interventions, but was hardly studied in patients with facial spasms.
Materials And Methods:
Patients with blepharospasm or hemifacial spasm treated with botulinum toxin were included. A healthy control group sociodemografically matched to patients was established. Instruments applied included the SF-36 (global HRQL), the NEI-VFQ (disease-specific HRQL) and the Blepharospasm Rating/Disability Scale, the latter to patients only.
Results:
Thirty-one patients with blepharospasm and 21 patients with hemifacial spasm took part. The Blepharospasm Rating/Disability Scale revealed minor functional limitations, but identified some symptoms to be improved. In both patient groups global (both SF-36 Component Summaries) and disease-specific (eight of 12 subscales) HRQL were significantly impaired compared with controls.
Conclusion:
HRQL should be integrated as core outcome criterion in treatment of patients with facial spasms. Assessment by a generic and a disease-specific instrument is recommended.
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