Screening for depressive symptoms in the acute phase of stroke

Depressive symptoms can often be observed after stroke. We prospectively ev aluated patients at a stroke unit in order to determine the occurrence and severity of depressive symptoms in the acute phase of stroke in 82 patients 7 +/- 2 days after admission to the stroke unit. Severity of stroke was ev aluated by the Scandinavian and Orgogozo scales and the Barthel index. Seve rity of depressive symptoms was measured by the 13-item Beck scale. Mean ag e of the patients was 65.8 years. No gender difference was observed in the severity of stroke or depressive symptoms. DSM-IV criteria of adjustment di sorder with depressed mood were fulfilled by 27% of the patients. In this g roup, stroke was significantly more severe by the Barthel, Orgogozo, and Sc andinavian scales (p < 0.001). Whereas Beck score was at least 10 in 19.5%, severe depressive symptoms (Beck score greater than or equal to 15) occurr ed in less than 5% of patients with acute stroke, Those who could not walk by themselves or who were aphasic had significantly higher mean Beck scores (6.3 +/- 5.1 vs 2.4 +/- 3.1, p < 0.001, and 7.0 +/- 5.8 vs 3.4 +/- 3.9, p = 0.002). Significant correlation was found between the severity of stroke and that of the depressive symptoms (r = -0.56, -0.58, and -0.54 for the Sc andinavian, Orgogozo, and Barthel scales, p < 0.001). (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence Inc.