Two year outcomes of poststroke writing and reading disorders

ABSTRACT

Poststroke language disorders are frequent and include aphasia, alexia, agraphia, and acalculia. These disorders refer to an acquired inability to read, write and calculate. In this study, we evaluated the two year outcomes of writing and reading disorders in poststroke patients, the natural course, recovery and mortality. We evaluated all the patients with stroke who were admitted to the Department of Neurology, University Clinical Centre Tuzla in period of six months, who developed poststroke alexia, agraphia, acalculia, or different combinations of these language disorders. Outcome of these patients was evaluated again after 24 months. For clinical assessment of alexia, agraphia, and acalculia we used Minnesota Test for Differential Diagnosis of Aphasia. We investigated 59 (30.5%) of 193 stroke patients with alexia, agraphia, acalculia, and combinations. Outcome of these patients after 24 months was: 37 (62.7%) died, 13 (22%) fully recovered, and 9 (15.3%) of them retained the same disorder or developed dementia or blindness. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that patients with combined language disorders had significantly higher mortality. The main factors influencing language disorders recovery in this study are initial severity of reading, writing and calculation impairment, age, neglect, and level of education.

KEYWORDS:

• Acalculia
• agraphia
• alexia
• outcome of poststroke reading
• poststroke language disorders
• writing impairment