[Stroke patients' apathy].
High frequency of apathy described in stroke patients, its prognostic value related to dementia, and still unexplained relation between apathy, depression and irritability are factors that encourage to evaluation of stroke patient's apathy.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate frequency of apathy in acute stroke, existence of relations between apathy score and stroke location, and between apathy score and depression with irritability as a differentiate factor between them.


METHODS
90 patients in age from 28 to 72 years (mean age=53 years) with acute stroke (in the 6th day after stroke onset) were examined. Stroke location was established by the computer tomography method. Evaluation of emotional disorders was made by means of the Starkstein's apathy scale, the ICD-10 organic depression diagnosis, the Hamilton's depression scale, the Hamilton's anxiety scale and the visual irritability analogue scale. Cognitive disorders were diagnosed by means of Mini Mental State. The intervariables relations were estimated by ANOVA and MANOVA.


RESULTS
apathy was diagnosed in 71% of patients, and depression in 43% of patients. Significant relations between apathy score and stroke location in internal carotid artery territory, and between apathy and a low score in Mini Mental State were identified. There wasn't relation between depression and stroke location, but intensity of irritability was higher in the patients with stroke in vertebrobasilar system territory. This work didn't demonstrated any relations between apathy score and depression (also when irritability was implemented as a covariate), or between apathy score and anxiety.


CONCLUSIONS
apathy occurs in 71% of acute stroke patients, and mainly takes place in patients with stroke in internal carotid artery territory. Apathy is related to low Mini Mental State score, but isn't related to depression. Irritability is related to stroke in vertebrobasilar system territory, but it isn't a differentiate factor between apathy and depression.
Akademia Medyczna we Wrocławiu, Katedra i Klinika Neurologii. ewajarz@wp.pl
Ewa
E
Jarzebska
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000209:etiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*