Introduction
Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and many factors predict a poor outcome, including age, NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), ambulatory status, and ability to swallow1. Mood disorders have previously been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease2. The association between pre‐existing mood disorders and stroke outcome, however, has not been well studied. The objective of the current study was to explore the impact of pre‐existing depression on functional outcomes post‐endovascular treatment.
Methods
We reviewed the records of 178 patients who received mechanical thrombectomy (MT) at our institution[BH1][BM2] from 2019–2022. We collected data on baseline characteristics and demographics, including functional outcome at 90 days as measured by modified Rankin Scale (mRS), which was categorized as favorable (mRS 0–2) or unfavorable (mRS 3–6).
Results
Of patients who received MT, 54 (30.3%) had a prior medical history of depression. On univariate analysis, patients with a history of depression had 2.5 times higher odds of an mRS score of 3–6 (cOR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.11‐5.48). Multivariate analysis included history of smoking, hypertension, obesity, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS)[YC1][KC2], time to recanalization, and discharge NIHSS score, along with history of depression. We found that the odds of having an unfavorable mRS were 5 times higher in those with a history of depression than those with no history (aOR = 5.15, 95% CI = 1.09‐23.31). Additionally, discharge NIHSS was associated with 1.5 times higher odds of unfavorable mRS for each point increase in NIHSS score (aOR = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.25‐1.74). While pre‐existing depression was associated with poorer functional outcomes, it was not associated with mortality, cOR = 1.12, 95%CI = 0.55‐2.27.
Conclusions
In this study, we found that a prior medical history of depression is associated with unfavorable functional outcomes at 90 days in patients who received MT. Future studies should investigate the association between the severity of depression and stroke outcomes and explore methods to mitigate the impact of depression on stroke outcomes.