Effect of depressive symptoms on the length of hospital stay among patients hospitalized for acute stroke in Japan.
BACKGROUND
Depression after stroke is one of the most serious complications of stroke. Although many studies have shown that the length of hospital stay (LOHS) is a measurable and important stroke outcome, research has found limited evidence concerning the effect of depression on LOHS among patients who have experienced acute stroke. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of depression on LOHS among patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke in Japan.


METHODS
We retrospectively examined 421 patients who had experienced acute ischemic stroke. Stroke severity was measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) on the 7th day of hospitalization. On the 10th day of hospitalization, depressive symptoms and functional assessment were assessed by the Japan Stroke Scale (Depression Scale) and the Functional Independence Measure, respectively. A general linear model was employed to assess the effect of probable depression on LOHS.


RESULTS
The prevalence of probable depression in the current sample was 16.3% in males and 17.8% in females. The mean LOHS of participants with probable depression (76.4±49.2 days) was significantly longer than that of participants without probable depression (44.9±39.2 days). An analysis using the general linear model to assess the effect on LOHS revealed a significant interaction between the presence of probable depression and NIHSS scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression after stroke was associated with significant increases in LOHS. Early detection and treatment for depression are necessary for patients with ischemic stroke.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Norio
N
Sugawara
Hirosaki Stroke and Rehabilitation Center, Hirosaki, Japan.
Norifumi
N
Metoki
Hirosaki Stroke and Rehabilitation Center, Hirosaki, Japan.
Joji
J
Hagii
Hirosaki Stroke and Rehabilitation Center, Hirosaki, Japan.
Shin
S
Saito
Hirosaki Stroke and Rehabilitation Center, Hirosaki, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Shiroto
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Tetsu
T
Tomita
Hirosaki Stroke and Rehabilitation Center, Hirosaki, Japan.
Minoru
M
Yasujima
Department of Cardiology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Ken
K
Okumura
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
Norio
N
Yasui-Furukori
Japanese; ischemic stroke; length of hospital stay; poststroke depression