Quality of life and post-stroke aphasic syndromes

Objective: Q uality of life of patients with post-stroke aphasia is very important aspect of research and rehabilitation of these persons. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of severity and type of aphasia on quality of life in patients after one year of onset of first-ever stroke. Subjects and Methods: It was investigated 51 post-stroke adult aphasic patients (23 males and 28 females) who were treated at the Department of Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. For determining the severity and type of aphasia Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination was used and the quality of life was assessed using The Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39. Results: Patients with aphasia have reduced quality of life at physical, communication, psychosocial and energy domain. Type of aphasic syndrome significantly affects quality of life (r=0.677, p=0.00). Patients with mixed nonfluent and Broca’s aphasia have worst quality of life. Using the multiple comparison (Tukey-test) it was found that persons with these two aphasic syndromes have significantly lower quality of life compared to those with diagnosed anomic aphasia, transcortical sensory aphasia and alexia with agraphia (p<0.05). Aphasia severity was significantly correlated with quality of life (r = 0.730, p = 0.00). Conclusions: Persons with mild post-stroke aphasia have higher of quality of life and persons with more severe post-stroke aphasia have lower qualities of life, one year after onset of first-ever stroke. Type of aphasic syndrome is significantly associated with quality of life. Subjects with mixed nonfluent and Broca’s aphasia have worst quality of life.