Post-stroke depression and post-stroke anxiety: prevalence and predictors

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Post-stroke depression (PSD) research is extensive, but post-stroke anxiety (PSA) is understudied.
• Affective disorders, including depression and anxiety, are common following stroke.
• Understanding these disorders is crucial for rehabilitation outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of post-stroke affective disorders (PSD and PSA) in German stroke patients during rehabilitation.
• To investigate the predictive value of lifetime affective disorders on the development of PSD and PSA.
• To examine the comorbidity and interrelation between PSD and PSA.

Main Methods:

• 289 stroke patients were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV.
• Mood and anxiety disorders were evaluated for both the post-stroke period and lifetime history.
• Statistical analyses included Spearman-ρ correlation and logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Prevalence rates were 31.1% for PSD and 20.4% for PSA.
• Significant correlations were found between depression and anxiety, both post-stroke and lifetime.
• Lifetime anxiety predicted PSA, but lifetime depression did not predict PSD.

Conclusions:

• Post-stroke affective disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, exhibit significant comorbidity.
• Lifetime anxiety history is a significant predictor of post-stroke anxiety.
• Unlike PSA, post-stroke depression is not predictable by its lifetime history in this cohort.