Dysarthria following acute ischemic stroke: Prospective evaluation of characteristics, type and severity.

Background: Dysarthria is a common symptom following stroke and represents an important cause of functional impairment in stroke patients. A better characterization of dysarthria could facilitate differential diagnosis and optimize healthcare service distribution.

Aim: To determine the speech characteristics, dysarthria type and severity in the acute phase following ischemic stroke in a comprehensive stroke centre.