Applying Latent Profile Analysis to CLEFT-Q Data: A Framework for Understanding Patient Reported Outcomes in Cleft...

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Cleft lip and/or palate (CP±L) significantly impacts patient appearance, function, and quality of life.
• Understanding patient-reported outcomes is crucial for effective management of CP±L.
• The CLEFT-Q questionnaire measures various aspects of life affected by CP±L.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize distinct response profiles using the CLEFT-Q in patients with CP±L.
• To identify patterns in these profiles related to demographics and treatment.
• To explore the stability of these profiles over time.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 923 CLEFT-Q responses from 596 patients (aged 8-29 years) with CP±L.
• Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to categorize patient responses into distinct profiles.
• Demographic data and longitudinal CLEFT-Q data were analyzed for profile associations and stability.

Main Results:

• Six latent profiles emerged: Universally Affected-Moderate (UA1), Universally Affected-Severe (UA2), Facial Appearance-Moderate (FA1), Facial Appearance-Severe (FA2), Social/School/Speech distress (SSS), and Minimally Distressed (MD).
• Severe profiles (UA2, FA2) were associated with older age and complete cleft lip, while the Minimally Distressed (MD) profile was linked to younger age and isolated cleft palate.
• 47.5% of patients remained in the same profile over time, with longer follow-up intervals predicting profile changes.

Conclusions:

• Latent profile analysis effectively categorizes CLEFT-Q responses into six clinically relevant profiles for CP±L patients.
• These profiles correlate with patient demographics and treatment outcomes, suggesting potential for personalized care.
• Further validation studies are recommended to confirm the clinical utility of these identified profiles.