Sex Differences in the Prevalence of Post-Stroke Depression: A Systematic Review

Background Depression after stroke occurs in 33% of individuals. It is grossly underdiagnosed and untreated. Objective The authors studied sex differences in the prevalence of post-stroke depression (PSD), which have not been adequately studied, and may have important implications for clinicians. Me...

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Published in:Psychosomatics (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2009-11, Vol.50 (6), p.563-569
Main Authors: Poynter, Brittany, M.D, Shuman Hon, Mira, B.Sc, Diaz-Granados, Natalia, M.Sc, Kapral, Moira, M.D., FRCPC, Grace, Sherry L., Ph.D, Stewart, Donna E., M.D., FRCPC
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Biological and medical sciences
Depression
Internal Medicine
Medical sciences
Mood disorders
Neurology
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Somatoform disorders. Psychosomatics
Systematic review
Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system
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Summary:Background Depression after stroke occurs in 33% of individuals. It is grossly underdiagnosed and untreated. Objective The authors studied sex differences in the prevalence of post-stroke depression (PSD), which have not been adequately studied, and may have important implications for clinicians. Method The authors performed a systematic review of five databases of all observational studies that stratified data by sex, measuring the prevalence of PSD. Results Fiftysix publications, including 47 primary studies between 1982 and 2006, met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. A total of 75,131 subjects comprised these studies, with 11,910 women and 62,899 men. Results The prevalence of depression among women was higher in 35 studies. Moreover, the prevalence was generally higher among inpatient populations (both in acute-care and rehabilitation facilities) than in community-dwelling subjects. Conclusions PSD is highly prevalent in both sexes, but appears to be slightly more common among women than men. Untreated depression after stroke can lead to a reduced quality of life, poorer prognosis, and increased mortality. All stroke patients should be routinely screened for depression, and further research is needed to determine whether there are sex-specific differences in response to treatment.
ISSN:0033-3182
1545-7206
DOI:10.1016/S0033-3182(09)70857-6