Affecting factors of depression in acute phase after stroke

Objective: Stroke is one of the diseases, which cause morbidity mostly. In addition to impairment of motor function, there are problems with respect to mood changes especially depression, which frequently decreases participation of the rehabilitation process and functional improvement. In this study, we aimed to investigate affecting factors of depression in acute phase after stroke.

Method: Hundred thirty-one patients in two weeks after stroke were included in the study. Beck Depression Scale (BDS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Scale (BS), Rankin Disability Scale (RDS), National Institute of Health Scale (NIHS) were applied to patients. Beck Depression Scale and Beck Anxiety Scale (BAS) were applied to caregivers. Sociodemographic features of patients, history of chronic diseases, psychiatric diseases, stroke and delirium/agitation, intensive care unit treatment, type of lesion (ischemic/hemorrhagic) were also recorded.

Results: Forty-nine of 131 patients (37.4%) were female and 82 (62.6%) were male. Mean age was 62.6±15.1 years and interval of age was 23-90 years. Mean of BDS scores was 14.72±11.2, mean of MMSE scores was 24.6±4.57. 35 percent of patients were depressed. Mean of BDS scores of females was higher than that of males. Economic status of depressed patients was lower than the others. Patients living alone and agitated after stroke were more depressed. MMSE scores were negatively correlated with BDS scores. BDS scores were positively correlated with BDS scores of caregivers. BS scores were higher than the others.

Conclusion: According to these results, economic status, living alone, agitation, early impairment of cognition are risk factors for depression after stroke and mood status of caregivers are affected to mood status of stroke patients. Functional dependence facilitates being depressed. Not only rehabilitation of motor function but also depressive symptoms and cognition must be handled as early and exactly as possible. Patients must be considered physically, psychologically and socially as a whole.