title: Aphasia disorders outcome after stroke.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aphasia is considered to be the most difficult disorders of speech-language communication, and is often companion by all forms of cerebrovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the outcome of aphasia disorder a year after a stroke and stroke type influence on the outcome of aphasia disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed one-year outcome of aphasia disorders in patients who had a first stroke. Patients were tested by a speech pathologist with the International test for aphasia, immediately after admission and one year after the stroke. All patients that were hospitalized during treatment had a speech therapy and only a small number of patients were realsed from hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 74 patients with aphasia who were discharged from hospital within one year 20 patients died and 2 patients did not respond to control clinical treatment review. Analysis of the remaining 52 respondents determined that out of the 10 patients with global aphasia 8 (80%) evolved into another aphasia syndrome, and two (20%) remained unchanged in form. In most cases, global aphasia was transformed in mixed non fluent aphasia (4 of 10 patients or 40%), and in two cases (20%) global aphasia was transformed in Broca aphasia. Broca aphasia (n = 20) in other forms evolved in 9 patients (45%), and 11 patients (55%) remained unchanged in form. Anomic aphasia had 11 patients (78.6%) which remained unchanged in form, while 3 (21.4%) evolved into an Alexia agraphia. Full recovery was noted in two patients (3.84%). Type of stroke did not affect the outcome of aphasia disorders. Out of the 52 analyzed patients after hospitalization, unfortunately, only 11 (21.2%) had some kind of speech pathology treatment after leaving the hospital.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One year after the stroke severe aphasia evolved into a lighter form in a significant number of patients. Most often anomic aphasia remained (34.6%), followed by Broca (25%) and Conductive aphasia (7.7%). Type of stroke does not affect the outcome of aphasia disorders. Unfortunately only a small number of patients (21.2%) continued with aphasia speech therapy after leaving the hospital.
authors.affiliation: Education and Rehabilitation Faculty of Tuzla, Tuzla University, Bosnia and Herzegovina. jacaklebic@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klebic
authors.forename: Nevzeta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salihovic
authors.forename: Rusmir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Softic
authors.forename: Denisa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salihovic
mesh_terms: D001037:Aphasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*