[The effects of demographic and clinical factors on the severity of poststroke aphasia].

Abstract

Background and purpose:

Poststroke aphasia severity is related to several demographic, lesion-specific, and clinical factors. However, results about the importance of these factors are controversial. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of demographic and clinical factors on aphasia severity as well as on expressive and receptive language skills in a sample of Hungarian-speaking people with aphasia. 

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Methods:

Ninety-four people with aphasia with mainly unilateral left-hemisphere stroke (87.88%) participated. We used multiple stepwise linear regression to investigate the relationships between potential predictors – i.e., sex, education, time postonset, etiology, lesion localisation, pathological changes in the brain caused by small vessel disease, and other neurogenic communication disorders/swallowing disorders – and language outcome. As outcome variables, we used the total score, the receptive score, and the expressive score of the Hungarian Aphasia Screening Test.

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Results:

Less years of education, pathological changes in the brain (white matter hypodensities/hyperintensities and subcortical lacunar lesions) and apraxia of speech were associated with more severe aphasia. Pathological changes and apraxia of speech were also associated with lower expressive language skills in aphasia. Finally, education, pathological changes, and sex predicted receptive language skills in poststroke aphasia (p < 0.05 in all three models).  

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Conclusion:

Pathological changes, apraxia of speech, education, and sex may affect language outcome in poststroke aphasia. We discuss our findings in light of the results of previous studies. 

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