[Combined neuroprotection in the treatment of post-stroke aphasia]

To evaluate the efficacy of combined neuroprotection in the restoration of speech function in patients with acute ischemic stroke in the carotid region.

The study included 257 patients (median age 60 (55; 72) years) with ischemic stroke and motor or sensorimotor aphasia. The degree of speech recovery was characterized by an increase in the score on the scale of the speech questionnaire (SQ) on the 21st day from the beginning of the disease. Patients were divided into low recovery (ΔSQ ≤6) and high recovery (ΔSQ >6) groups. All patients received neuroprotectors of different groups.

The greatest efficacy was shown for cortexin in combination with mexidol: the ΔSQ >6 group included 24 (70.6%) and the group ΔSQ ≤6 10 (29.4%) patients out of 34 patients. The lowest efficacy was observed for gliatilin in monotherapy: an increase was ≤6 points in 24 (68.6%) patients and >6 points in 11 (31.4%), and for combinations of ceraxon and mexidol: 26 (61.9%) and 6 (38.1%) patients with low- and high level of speech recovery, respectively (p=0.041).

Combined neuroprotective therapy using drugs with neuromodulatory and antioxidant effects (cortexin and mexidol) in the acute period of ischemic stroke is effective in the treatment of post-stroke aphasia.