The efficacy of antidepressants in post-stroke depression.
The aim of the present study was to confirm the efficacy of antidepressants in post-stroke depression and to identify the factors related to outcome. Subjects consisted of 20 inpatients suffering from post-stroke in a rehabilitation hospital. The subjects were treated with various antidepressants, mainly imipramine, amitriptyline, and amoxapine. After 4 weeks of treatment, 13 showed some improvement; significant improvement in 5, moderate improvement in 5, mild improvement in 3 by a clinical global impression. Whereas all the patients aged less than 65 yr were responders, only 3 of the 10 patients over 65 yr were responders. All of the male patients, but only half of the female patients, were responders. With regards to the presence of a spouse, 13 of the 16 patients with a spouse, but none of 4 patients without, showed a response. No significant correlation was found between the occurrence of each depressive symptom and outcome. Thus, the responders were younger and had better social support in comparison with the non-responders. This result implies that antidepressants are effective for post-stroke depression.
Shima
S
S
Division of Mental Science, Tokyo Keizai University, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000657:Amoxapine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000639:Amitriptyline; D007099:Imipramine; D000657:Amoxapine