Prediction of language recovery in aphasic stroke patients using the Porch Index of Communicative Ability

Abstract

The study was designed to assess the accuracy of predictions about language recovery made on the basis of performance on the Porch Index Communicative Ability (PICA). There were 124 aphasic stroke patients who had been assessed on the PICA at 4 and 34 weeks after the onset of a stroke. Of these 68 were offered twice weekly speech therapy for 24 weeks and 56 were given no speech therapy. Neither group reached the levels predicted by either Porch's HOAP method or his statistical method. The High‐Low gap at 4 weeks was not correlated with the amount of recovery in either group. Neither prediction was considered sufficiently accurate to be applied in clinical practice.