title: Depression after minor stroke: prevalence and predictors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most frequent complications of stroke, with a prevalence ranging 20-60%. As PSD seems to be related to stroke severity, we hypothesized that the prevalence of PSD would be lower in patients with minor stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the prevalence and predictors of PSD over a 30-month follow-up period in a cohort of patients with minor ischaemic stroke (NIHSS≤5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 105 patients (mean age 64.38±11.2years, M/F 69/36). PSD was diagnosed in 43 (41%) patients, 40 (93%) of whom had dysthymia; 22% of patients were already depressed at 1month. The most frequent depressive symptoms (DSs) were working inhibition, indecisiveness, and fatigability. Patients who developed PSD were less educated (P=0.044) and diabetic (P=0.006). After excluding patients that were already depressed at 1month, we performed a logistic regression model to detect predictors of PSD. Crying (P=0.012, OR 1.067, CI 0.269-4.553) and guilt (P=0.007, OR 0.037, CI 0.02ì03-0.401) at baseline were two DSs found to be significantly correlated with PSD. Higher educational level (P=0.022, OR 0.084, CI 0.010-0.698) and diabetes (P=0.007, OR 14.361, CI 2.040-101.108) were the risk factors significantly correlated with PSD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-stroke depression is frequent even in patients with minor stroke. Early detection of DSs might help to predict long-term development of PSD. No correlation was observed between lesion site or side and the development of PSD.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica A, Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Viale dell'Università, Rome, Italy. marta.altieri@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altieri
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maestrini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mercurio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Troisi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sgarlata
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Piero
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Lenzi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*