Poststroke depression: risk factors and potential effects on functional recovery

The factors that may cause poststroke depression were investigated in the literature focusing on lesion localization, age, stroke severity, and impairments in physical and cognitive function. The aim of this study was to examine the risk factors influencing the development of poststroke depression and to determine the effect of depression on the patients’ functional improvement after rehabilitation. Patients in the first 6-month period after stroke who were hospitalized in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic were included in this study. Patients who were admitted to the hospital within 0–30 and 30–120 days from the date of stroke were considered early and late rehabilitation entrants, respectively. The sample of this study included 93 patients. Patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics, complications, and medical history were recorded. Upper extremity motor function, ambulation, and mood were evaluated according to the Frenchay Arm Test, the Functional Ambulation Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory, respectively. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was applied to patients at admission to the hospital, at discharge, and 1 month after discharge (follow-up). The mean age of the patients was 58 years and the mean disease duration was 53 days. Depression was diagnosed in 49 (53%) patients. Except for age and disease duration, none of the factors of sex, hemiplegic side, stroke severity, stroke etiology, neglect, spasticity, sedentary lifestyle, poststroke immobility, and early-onset or late-onset to rehabilitation was found to induce statistically significant differences in the development of depression. Statistically significant changes occurred in total FIM levels between the groups with and without depression between admission and discharge, admission and follow-up, and discharge and follow-up. The levels were significantly higher in patients without depression than in patients with depression. Depression was found in a high frequency in stroke patients. Younger age and long disease duration were found to be factors affecting the development of depression. FIM scores were observed to be lower in stroke patients with depression.