Self-Rated Communication-Related Quality of Life of Individuals With Oromandibular Dystonia Receiving Botulinum Toxin Injections

• Published in: American journal of speech-language pathology 2017-06, Vol.26 (2S), p.674-681
• Main Authors: Page, Allyson D, Siegel, Lauren, Jog, Mandar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetylcholine Release Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Botulinum toxin; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - administration & dosage; Care and treatment; Case-Control Studies; Communication; Communication Disorders; Dosage and administration; Dysarthria; Dysarthria - diagnosis; Dysarthria - drug therapy; Dysarthria - physiopathology; Dysarthria - psychology; Dystonia; Dystonia - diagnosis; Dystonia - drug therapy; Dystonia - physiopathology; Dystonia - psychology; Effect Size; Environmental Influences; Female; Hearing; Humans; Injections, Intramuscular; Interpersonal Relationship; Life Satisfaction; Male; Mandibular Diseases - diagnosis; Mandibular Diseases - drug therapy; Mandibular Diseases - physiopathology; Mandibular Diseases - psychology; Masticatory Muscles - drug effects; Masticatory Muscles - physiopathology; Measures; Middle Aged; Neurosurgery; Otolaryngology; Outcome Measures; Pathology; Physical Health; Preliminary Data; Psychiatry; Quality of Life; Self concept; Self evaluation; Self Report; Socialization; Speech; Speech - drug effects; Speech disorders; Speech Intelligibility - drug effects; Speech therapy; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1058-0360; 1558-9110
• DOI: 10.1044/2017_AJSLP-16-0098

In this preliminary study, we examined self-rated communication-related quality of life (CR-QoL) of 10 control participants and 10 individuals with oromandibular dystonia (OMD) and dysarthria receiving therapeutic botulinum toxin (BoNT-A) injections. Participants with OMD and associated dysarthria self-rated CR-QoL pre- and post- BoNT-A injection using the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Quality of Communication Life Scale (ASHA QCL; Paul et al., 2004). Control participants self-rated CR-QoL during a single experimental visit. Significant differences were found between control participants and participants with OMD on ratings of CR-QoL across all 5 domains and subdomains of the ASHA QCL. No significant differences in CR-QoL were found over the course of the BoNT-A treatment cycle. CR-QoL was rated lower by participants with OMD as compared with control participants across all ASHA QCL domains/subdomains with "socialization/activities" and "confidence/self-concept" having the largest effect sizes. No differences in CR-QoL were found over the course of the treatment cycle. We advocate for outcome measures that include patient report. The use of patient-reported outcome measures in conjunction with objective or impairment-based outcome measures can help inform meaningful clinical indicators of treatment success. This study adds novel information that may aid our understanding of the experience of living with OMD in this underserviced clinical population.