Depression post-stroke : clinical characteristics associated

Abstract

Depression is an important variable related to the worsening of quality of life in post-stroke patients. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of depression in patients after stroke. It is a cross-sectional study conducted between February and April 2013, 51 patients admitted to specialized stroke unit in a hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was applied to investigate depression. Regarding the modifiable risk factors, physical inactivity was the most significant factor for depression. As regards the neurological deficits, subjects with speech disorders had 2.2 times more likely to get depressive symptoms. The inability to walk did not affect the acquisition of these symptoms. On the comorbidities, non diabetics and heart disease ones had a 30% chance to further develop depression and hypertension does not influence in this. Thus, the study showed that among patients in the sample, younger women, unemployed, who had companion and had higher levels of education presented a greater chance of depression. We see, on this, the need to expand research in this context with longitudinal studies so these and other factors can be controlled through time.