Health State Utility Values in Patients Affected by Flaccid and Non-Flaccid Facial Paralysis

Introduction: Facial paralysis has a devastating impact on patient wellbeing. Health state utility values (HUV) quantify a patient’s overall health status in a single, common metric, allowing meaningful comparison across diseases. The primary goal of this study is to measure HUV in patients suffering from flaccid and non-flaccid facial paralysis. To date, HUV for this population have not been described.

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review of adults with flaccid and non-flaccid facial paralysis who presented for evaluation at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Facial Nerve Center between December 2015 and July 2023. Data on demographics, comorbidities, treatment, and quality of life measures (Facial Clinimetric Evaluation Scale and Short Form 6D Health Survey [SF-6D]) were recorded. HUV were derived from the SF-6D at baseline using a validated algorithm designed by Sheffield University. Scores range from 0.3 to 1, with 1 representing perfect health, and lower scores decreased health.

Results: In total, 130 patients (39 with flaccid paralysis and 91 with non-flaccid paralysis) were identified. The cohort had an average age of 54.5 years and was 71.2% female. The mean baseline HUV of patients with facial paralysis was 0.73 (range 0.39-1). The mean HUV for the flaccid paralysis group was 0.72 (range 0.39-1), and 0.74 (range 0.39-0.92) for the non-flaccid paralysis group.

Conclusions: Patients with both flaccid and non-flaccid facial paralysis report HUV lower than the US population norm (0.81), with no significant baseline HUV difference observed between the two groups (0.72 vs 0.74; P = 0.486). These findings contribute to understanding the burden of facial paralysis for future cost-effectiveness research.