High prevalence of depression found in post-ischemic stroke patients assessed in routine vascular clinic in a University Hospital from Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression in ischemic post-stroke patients in a routine vascular clinic evaluation in Mexico. Methods: Consecutive patients with ischemic stroke between January 2017 and July 2018 were enrolled. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale and Hamilton scales were used to assess neurological deficit and depression, respectively. The mRs was used to evaluate the degree of dependence in daily activities and the Barthel Index was used to measure functional independence. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire. Follow-up appointment was performed between 3 months and 2 years post-stroke. Results: Of the 162 patients who met study inclusion criteria, 93 were contacted at 2 years of follow-up. Fifty-six were men (60.2%) and 37 were women (29.8%), with an average age of 63.5. About 36.6% of participants met the criteria for depressive disorder. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of depression among patients who have suffered ischemic stroke as assessed in a routine vascular clinic evaluation.