RELATION OF APHASIA SUBTYPES AND DISABILITY SCORE IN STROKE PATIENTS

Abstract

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Aphasia is a common manifestation of stroke. Aphasia increases the disability score in stroke patients due to communication disorders and associated right sided hemiplegia. This study was done to evaluate the relation of aphasia with disability score in the stroke patients. METHODS: Consecutive stroke patients admitted in Valie-Asr hospital, Khorasan enrolled in a prospective study in 2005. Aphasia and its subtypes were detected by neurologist and linguistician based on the British criteria. Disability scored according to the Rankin scale 72 hours post stroke. Mean of disability score (MDS) was analyzed by Tuki range and Variance tests and p<0.05 was considered significant.FINDINGS: Three hundred and twenty nine patients (175 females and 154 males) with stroke were evaluated. Aphasia was found in 106 (32%) of these patients. Stroke patients with aphasia had significantly higher MDS than other stroke patients T=2.6, df=327, p=0.01. Patients with Global aphasia had significantly higher MDS than patients without aphasia and patients with Wernicke aphasia (p<0.001, p=0.006 respectively). However, patients with Global aphasia had non-significant difference of MDS to patients with Broca aphasia (p=0.06).CONCLUSION: Aphasia is an important effector in disability of stroke patients. Aphasia increases the stroke disability and reduces future recovery in the stroke patients following rehabilitation.

Keywords

• aphasia
• disability
• stroke