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S058-3

Incidence and Risk Factors of Post-Stroke Depression in Patients with Acute
Ischemic Stroke in Taiwan

Jian-An Su

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan

Background/Objective: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most frequent neuropsychiatric
consequences of stroke. It has been shown to be associated with both impaired recovery and
increased mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors of
PSD in Taiwan.

Method: One hundred and one patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled initially and 91 (90.1%)
completed the one-year study. The assessment was performed at baseline, and at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th
and 12th month after enrollment. The definition of PSD was in accordance with the diagnostic
criteria of major depressive episode in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition
(DSM-IV).

Result: The incidences of PSD in the present study at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th month were 4%, 8%,
9%, and 10%, respectively, and the overall incidence at one year was 11%. Female gender, higher
TDQ, higher NIHSS and lower IADL scores were risk factors, using univariate analysis. With
multivariate regression analysis, female gender and higher TDQ and NIHSS scores were still
significant. When the patients were divided into 2 groups based on gender, a higher TDQ score was
significantly associated with PSD, regardless of gender. But risk factors for higher NIHSS scores
were observed only in the female group.

Conclusion: The incidence of PSD was not as high as in former studies based on the DSM-IV
diagnostic criteria. However, more attention should be given to patients with more risk factors to
enable earlier detection and intervention.