Influence of Subclinical Anxiety and Depression on Quality of Life and Perception of Facial Paralysis

Introduction: Patients with facial paralysis have increased psychosocial distress, which affects overall quality of life (QOL). Objective: To evaluate the relationship between QOL and paralysis severity among patients with subclinical anxiety and/or depression. Methods: Patients with facial paralysis were screened for anxiety and depression using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 surveys. QOL scores (Facial Clinimetric Evaluation) and paralysis severity scores (House-Brackmann [HB] and Sunnybrook [SB]) were collected. Patients with a mental health diagnosis or treatment were excluded. Univariate and multivariate analyses and Pearson's correlations were performed after stratifying by anxiety and/or depression screenings. Results: Positive anxiety and depression screening rates were 25.78% and 22.66%, respectively. Patients screening positive had significantly worse QOL scores despite no difference in paralysis severity. QOL scores did not correlate with SB scores among patients who screened positive for depression. Conclusion: Patients screening positive for anxiety and/or depression demonstrated worse QOL, which did not correlate with paralysis severity suggesting that health care professionals should remain alert to mental health symptoms when QOL impairment is out of proportion with the severity of paralysis.