Background: Classification of dysarthria types comprises flaccid, spastic, ataxic, hypo- and hyperkinetic and mixed dysarthria. This study focussed on the ability of neurologists to clinically identify the correct type of dysarthria in neurological patients.

Methods: Eighteen patients with dysarthria and 4 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The gold standard for dysarthria type was the underlying neurological disease. Recordings of a standard reading passage and free speech were made. Raters were neurologists, residents in neurology and speech therapists, whose scores were compared.

Results: Neurologists correctly identified 40% of the recordings, residents 41%, and speech therapists 37%. Interrater agreement was fair among all 3 groups; intrarater agreement was fair to moderate.

Conclusion: This study suggests that neurologists should be aware of the unreliability of identifying the dysarthria type without the use of additional validated instruments or rating scales in a clinical setting.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000206855DOI Listing

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