The correlation between perceived psychosocial stress and stroke: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Perceived psychosocial stress is increasingly recognized as a potential contributor to various health outcomes.
• Understanding its association with stroke is crucial for public health initiatives and clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between perceived psychosocial stress and stroke through a comprehensive meta-analysis.
• To investigate potential differences in this association based on stroke type, geographic region, and sex.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library.
• Inclusion of case-control and prospective cohort studies reporting risk estimates for stroke in relation to perceived stress.
• Random-effects model meta-analysis with subgroup analyses for stroke type, region, and sex.

Main Results:

• Case-control studies (n=21,024 stroke patients) indicated a significantly higher incidence of perceived stress in stroke patients (RR=1.58).
• Subgroup analyses in case-control studies showed significant associations across regions, stroke types, and sexes.
• Prospective cohort studies (n=177,525 participants) found no statistically significant association between perceived stress and stroke probability (RR=1.29).

Conclusions:

• Case-control studies suggest perceived psychosocial stress is a risk factor for stroke, particularly in younger individuals (<50 years).
• Prospective cohort studies did not support a significant link between perceived stress and stroke incidence.
• The conflicting findings highlight the need for further investigation into the complex relationship between psychosocial stress and stroke.