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Published on: July 2, 2013
[The efficacy of donepezil for post-stroke aphasia: a pilot case control study.]
Ying Chen1, Yan-Sheng Li, Zhi-Ying Wang
1Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China.
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of donepezil for post-stroke aphasia.
Methods:
Sixty patients with acute post-stroke aphasia were divided into treatment group and a control group. All patients had been treated for secondary prevention according to the guideline. The treatment group received donepezil hydrochloride (5 mg/d) for 12 weeks. The efficacy of treatment was measured by comparing the changes of scores of Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) between baseline and 12 weeks later.
Results:
Compared with the baseline, the changes of scores of all items of WAB and Aphasia Quotient (AQ) in both group after 12 weeks follow-up were great, however, the change of AQ was significantly greater in donepezil group (34.14 +/- 17.70)than that in control group (20.69 +/- 17.26)(P = 0.004). The patients in donepezil group also showed significant recovery in spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition, and naming than those in control group (P < 0.05). The rate of significant improving in donepezil group was 60.0% which was significantly greater than that in control group (26.7%) (P = 0.009).
Conclusion:
There are spontaneous recovery of post-stroke aphasia within 3 months. Donepezil may facilitate the recovery in spontaneous speech, comprehension, repetition, and naming functions.
