title: Stroke-free status and depression scores among Saudi dialysis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the prevalence of stroke symptoms and depression among Saudi dialysis patients and related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional multicentre study of Saudi dialysis patients. Demographics, clinical and laboratory's data were collected. Freedom from stroke symptoms was assessed using the Questionnaire for Verifying Stroke-Free Status and depression using the Geriatric Depression Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five-hundred and forty-nine patients (77.3% response rate); 94.6% were receiving hemodialysis and 5.4% peritoneal dialysis were included in the study. Freedom from stroke was reported in 76.6% of patients, was higher in females (p = 0.07), and was not affected by the presence of diabetes mellitus coronary artery disease or peripheral vascular disease. However, it was significantly lower in hypertensive patients (p = 0.035) and was not affected by age, dialysis duration, Kt/V, albumin or hemoglobin levels. It was, however, more prevalent in the non-depressed patients compared to depressed patients (p = 0.036). Mild and major depression scores were noted in 45.2% and 6.1%, respectively; the depression score being significantly higher in HD than in PD patients (6.3 ± 3.4 vs. 5.0 ± 3.2 p = 0.049) but was not related to sex, employment, vascular access type, age, dialysis duration, Kt/V or serum albumin or hemoglobin levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A quarter of the patients were not stroke symptom-free and these were more likely the depressed patients, in females, but significantly less in hypertensive patients. Almost half of the patients were depressed with 6.1% having major depression. The depression score was significantly higher in HD than in PD patients.
authors.affiliation: Jeddah Kidney Center, King Fahd Hospital , Jeddah , Saudi Arabia .
authors.forename: Fouad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sheayria
authors.forename: Ayman M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Karkar
authors.forename: Lubna A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Almenawi
authors.forename: Reem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alreemawi
authors.forename: Neven
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Awn
authors.forename: Mona M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alzenim
authors.forename: Fayez F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Hejaili
authors.forename: Faissal A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Shaheen
authors.forename: Abdulla A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Sayyari
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Depression; Saudi Arabia; dialysis; stroke