Author(s)

Yue Chen

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Objective: The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors for post stroke depression (PSD), and their clinical correlations. Method: A consecutive cohort of 102 ischemic stroke patients with a mean age of 72.6 ± 7.2 years, were studied. Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS), modified motor assessment scale (MMAS) and Barthel index (BI) were administered. Risk factors of PSD studied were gender, laterality of stroke, family history of depression and post stroke functional impairment. Results: From assessment with the HDRS, 71 (69.6%) of the subjects were non-depressive and the rest 31 (30.4%) had depression. Depressive symptoms (HDRS > 10) were relatively common, but the prevalence of severe depression (HDRS >17) was only 7.0%. Patients with depressive symptoms were more likely to be female(X² = 4.01, P = 0.039), have a family history of depression(X² = 3.87, P = 0.045), and a poor functional status(MMAS, t = 2.18 and P = 0.016; BI, t = 3.74 and P = 0.009). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that depressive symptoms occurred in about one third of post stroke patients. Important risk factors found for PSD included gender, family history of depression and functional impairment.

Depression, Post-Stroke, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Investigation

Chen, Y. (2011). Investigation of Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Depressive Symptoms Following Acute Ischemic Stroke (PSD) in the Aged. Psychology, 2, 522-525. doi: 10.4236/psych.2011.25081.