Prevalence of post-stroke cognitive impairment and associated risk factors in Chinese stroke survivors

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) adversely affects survivors' recovery trajectory and overall health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PCSI and its associated risk factors.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with stroke survivors recruited from the neurology units of three hospitals in Yunnan, China. Measures included the Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test (FAST), Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify risk factors significantly and independently associated with PSCI.

Of 389 stroke participants studied, 139 (36%) were found to have PSCI. Every 10-year increase in age [odds ratio (OR) =1.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27-2.24, p < 0.001], and 1-point increase in the AES (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.07-1.18, p < 0.001) and FSS scores (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.10, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher odds of PSCI. Conversely, a 1-point increase in the MoCA score (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.95, p < 0.001) and having an undergraduate education (OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.24-0.84, p = 0.013) or postgraduate education (OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06-0.50, p = 0.001) were associated with reduced odds of PSCI.

PSCI is prevalent in the Chinese population, with advanced age, lower education levels, lower MoCA scores, and higher fatigue and apathy scores identified as strong risk factors. It is recommended that psychological and cognitive assessment be routinely incorporated into post-stroke rehabilitation pathways to mitigate cognitive decline.