title: Depression, introversion and mortality following stroke.
abstract: In this study, we examined the influence of clinical depression and personality introversion on 15-month mortality following stroke. Ninety-four stroke inpatients were examined two months post-stroke for clinical depression and pre-stroke personality characteristics of neuroticism and introversion. Fifteen months later, the vital status of 84 of these patients was able to be determined. Seven (8%) of the 84 patients died. Mortality rate increased from non-depressed to minor depressed and to major depressed patients (1/48 [2%], 2/21 [10%] and 3/13 [23%], respectively) (chi 2[trend] = 6.6, df = 1, p = 0.01). Patients who died had higher depression symptom scores (mean +/- SD) than survivors (17.7 +/- 6.0 versus 9.9 +/- 7.1) (p = 0.006). Non-survivors were more introverted (i.e. had lower extroversion scores) than survivors (1.7 +/- 1.4 versus 4.2 +2- 2.1) (p = 0.004). In multivariate analyses, introversion and depression were independently associated with mortality. We conclude that personality introversion and depression are associated with increased mortality following stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Victoria.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samuels
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000401:mortality* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007439:Introversion, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012803:Sick Role; D015996:Survival Rate