Low serum prealbumin levels in post-stroke depression

Previous studies have shown that prealbumin is associated with depression. However, the association between prealbumin and post-stroke depression remains unelucidated. This observational cohort study determined whether low baseline serum prealbumin could predict post-stroke depression at 1 month in patients admitted with acute stroke. The study, conducted from October 2013 to September 2014, included 307 patients with acute stroke who were followed-up for 1 month. Serum prealbumin was measured within 24h after admission using an immunoturbidimetric method. The17-item Hamilton Depression Scale was used to evaluate depression symptoms. Patients with a depression score of ≥7 were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, for diagnosing post-stroke depression at 1 month. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate possible predictors of post-stroke depression. Overall, 93 (30.3%) patients were diagnosed with post-stroke depression. Serum prealbumin was significantly lower in patients with versus those without post-stroke depression, and was a significant predictor of post-stroke depression after adjusting for confounding risk factors. In conclusion, baseline serum prealbumin level was associated with post-stroke depression at 1 month, suggesting that prealbumin might be a useful biomarker for post-stroke depression.