Very early poststroke aphasia therapy: a pilot randomized controlled efficacy trial

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Speech-Language Pathology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Early stroke rehabilitation is known to be beneficial.
• Evidence regarding the advantages of early aphasia intervention remains limited.
• This study investigated the impact of daily aphasia therapy on communication outcomes in early post-stroke recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if daily aphasia therapy improves communication outcomes compared to usual care in patients with moderate to severe aphasia during early stroke recovery.
• To test the hypothesis that intensive, early aphasia intervention yields superior results.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial was conducted in three Australian acute-care hospitals.
• Patients with acute stroke and moderate to severe aphasia received either daily aphasia therapy or usual care (UC).
• Primary outcomes included the aphasia quotient and functional communication profile, assessed at acute hospital discharge or four weeks post-stroke.

Main Results:

• Participants receiving daily aphasia therapy showed significantly higher scores on the aphasia quotient (15.1 points greater, P=0.010) and functional communication profile (11.3 points greater, P=0.004) compared to the UC group.
• The daily aphasia therapy group received a mean of 331 minutes of intervention, while the UC group received minimal therapy (average 10.5 min/week).
• Despite some participants not completing the minimum required therapy, the intervention group demonstrated clear benefits.

Conclusions:

• Daily aphasia therapy administered during the very early stages of stroke recovery significantly enhances communication abilities in individuals with moderate to severe aphasia.
• These findings support the integration of intensive, early aphasia intervention into standard stroke care protocols.