DOI: 10.1080/16501970510041262

Objective: To compare the functional, cognitive and disability status of aphasic and non-aphasic traumatic brain injury patients. Design: A prospective comparative study in which 103 patients with traumatic brain injury participated. Subjects: Fifty-one aphasic and 52 non-aphasic patients with traumatic brain injury. Methods: Functional Independence Measure and Disability Rating Scale were used to determine functional status and disability. Cognitive status was evaluated by the Mini-Mental Status Examination. Aphasic patients were evaluated using the Gülhane Aphasia Test for language disorders. Results: The most frequent type of aphasia was Broca aphasia at 26. 49% followed by anomic at 19. 6% and trans-cortical motor at 15. 6%. Functional Independence Measure, Disability Rating Scale and Mini-Mental Status Examination scores at admission and at discharge showed significant differences in aphasic patients (p<0. 001). There were no significant differences in the Functional Independence Measure, Disability Rating Scale and Mini-Mental Status Examination gains between the aphasic and non-aphasic patients (p >0. 01). Conclusion: Although aphasia could be accepted as a negative prognostic indicator in patients with traumatic brain injury, we could not detect any difference in functional and cognitive gains between the aphasic and non-aphasic patients.