title: Long-term incidence of depression and predictors of depressive symptoms in older stroke survivors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression is common and an important consequence of stroke but there is limited information on the longer-term relationship between these conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the prevalence, incidence and predictors of depression in a secondary-care-based cohort of stroke survivors aged over 75 years, from 3 months to up to 10 years post-stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Depression was assessed annually by three methods: major depression by DSM-IV criteria, the self-rated Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the observer-rated Cornell scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found the highest rates, 31.7% baseline prevalence, of depressive symptoms with the GDS compared with 9.7% using the Cornell scale and 1.2% using DSM-IV criteria. Incidence rates were 36.9, 5.90 and 4.18 episodes per 100 person years respectively. Baseline GDS score was the most consistent predictor of depressive symptoms at all time points in both univariate and multivariate analyses. Other predictors included cognitive impairment, impaired activities of daily living and in the early period, vascular risk factor burden and dementia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results emphasise the importance of psychiatric follow-up for those with early-onset post-stroke depression and long-term monitoring of mood in people who have had a stroke and remain at high risk of depression.
authors.affiliation: Louise M. Allan, PhD, MRCP, Elise N. Rowan, PhD, Alan J. Thomas, PhD, FRCPsych, Tuomo M. Polvikoski, MD, John T. O'Brien, DM, Raj N. Kalaria, PhD, FRCPsych, Institute for Ageing and Health, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Louise M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Allan
authors.forename: Elise N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Rowan
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Tuomo M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Polvikoski
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Raj N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Kalaria
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*