This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 37/6/1379    most recent 01.STR.0000221815.64093.8cv1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Engelter, S. T. Articles by Lyrer, P. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Engelter, S. T. Articles by Lyrer, P. A. Related Collections Acute Cerebral Infarction Thrombolysis Epidemiology

(Stroke. 2006;37:1379.)
© 2006 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Epidemiology of Aphasia Attributable to First Ischemic Stroke

Incidence, Severity, Fluency, Etiology, and Thrombolysis

Stefan T. Engelter, MD; Michal Gostynski, MD, MPH; Susanna Papa; Maya Frei; Claudia Born; Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross, DrSc; Felix Gutzwiller, MD, DrPH Phillipe A. Lyrer, MD

From the Neurological Clinic and Stroke Unit (S.T.E., S.P., P.A.L.), University Hospital Basle, Switzerland; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (M.G., V.A.-G., F.G.), University of Zurich, Switzerland; Institute of Speech Therapy (M.F.), University Hospital Basel, Switzerland; and Institute for Specific Pedagogics and Psychology (C.B.), Basel, Switzerland.

Correspondence to S.T. Engelter, MD, Neurological Clinic and Stroke Unit, University Hospital Basle, Petersgraben 4, CH – 4031 Basel, Switzerland. E-mail sengelter{at}uhbs.ch

Background and Purpose— In a geographically defined population, we assessed incidence and determinants of aphasia attributable to first-ever ischemic stroke (FEIS).

MethodsA 1-year prospective, population-based study among the permanent residents of the canton Basle City, Switzerland, was performed using multiple overlapping sources of information.

Results— Among 188 015 inhabitants, 269 patients had FEIS, of whom 80 (30%; 95% CI, 24 to 36) had aphasia. The overall incidence rate of aphasia attributable to FEIS amounted to 43 per 100 000 inhabitants (95% CI, 33 to 52). Aphasic stroke patients were older than nonaphasic patients. The risk of aphasia attributable to FEIS increased by 4% (95% CI, 1% to 7%), and after controlling for atrial fibrillation, by 3% (95% CI, 1% to 7%) with each year of patients’ age. Gender had no effect on incidence, severity, or fluency of aphasia. Cardioembolism was more frequent in aphasic stroke patients than in nonaphasic ones (odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.07 to 3.20). Aphasic patients sought medical help earlier than nonaphasic stroke patients. Still, after controlling for stroke onset–assessment interval, aphasic stroke patients were more likely to receive thrombolysis than nonaphasics (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.12 to 10.96).

Conclusion— Annually, 43 of 100 000 inhabitants had aphasia resulting from first ischemic stroke. Advancing age and cardioembolism were associated with an increased risk for aphasia. Severity and fluency of aphasia were not affected by demographic variables.

Key Words: aphasia • epidemiology • stroke • thrombolysis

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R M Lazar, A E Speizer, J R Festa, J W Krakauer, and R S Marshall Variability in language recovery after first-time stroke J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, May 1, 2008; 79(5): 530 - 534. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]