Relationship between upper extremities functional recovery with speech recovery among post stroke patients - an observational study

Abstract

Globally stroke is one of the most common neurological disease, frequently causing death and disability. The survivors suffer from various impairments among which upper and lower limb motor deficits, visuo-spatial neglect and speech impairments are most common. The aim of the study is to find out the association between upper extremity functional recovery and speech recovery in acute stroke patients and to predict the recovery of upper extremity functions based on recovery of speech. Twenty-eight eligible and willing subjects diagnosed with dominant hemisphere supratentorial stroke were taken for the study. The objectives were achieved with Fugl- Meyer assessment: upper extremity (FMA-UL), Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) scale and Wolf motor function scales (WMFT), that were administered by the tester on the eligible subjects within a week after acute stroke and follow up measurements were carried out post one month. A moderate positive correlation was found in between WMFT and WAB. Strength component of WMFT was found to show better correlation with WAB as compared to functional ability and time components. Since initial recovery is mostly seen within (90-120) days, a long term follow up of the same study may provide more information regarding return of upper extremity function with respect to speech. Hence, recovery of speech can predict upper extremity functional recovery.