Decreased Serum Netrin-1 as a Predictor for Post-Stroke Depression in Chinese Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke

• Published in: Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases 2020-10, Vol.29 (10), p.105149-105149, Article 105149
• Main Authors: Chen, Zhuo, Cao, Tianli, Zhong, Xingju, Wu, Yong, Fu, Wei, Fan, Chaoli, Jiang, Yu, Zhu, Yan, Peng, Jie, Li, Ping, Tan, Jingyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarker; Depression; Ischemic stroke; netrin-1; Prediction
• ISSN: 1052-3057; 1532-8511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2020.105149

Experimental studies demonstrated that netrin-1 (NT-1) is an important factor influencing the recovery after ischemic stroke. However, whether NT-1 levels were associated with the post-stroke depression (PSD) remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between NT-1 levels and PSD at 3 months in patients with ischemic stroke. From January 2018 to December 2019, consecutive Chinese patients with first-ever ischemic stroke were prospectively recruited. Serum NT-1 levels were measured at admission. Patients with a 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale score of ≥7 were given the Structured Clinical Interview of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, for diagnosis of PSD. A total of 238 patients (mean age, 62.5 years; 45.4% female) were enrolled. The median NT-1 concentrations were 467.8 pg/mL (interquartile range, 351.8–581.0 pg/mL). During the 3-month follow-up period, 64 patients (26.9%) experienced PSD. Serum NT-1 levels were significantly lower in PSD patients than in patients without PSD (median, 380.3 pg/mL versus 478.5 pg/mL; P = 0.001). After adjusting for demographic characteristic, National Institutes of Health stroke score, and other potential confounders by multiple logistic regression analysis, patients with NT-1 levels in the first quartile were more likely to have 3-month PSD (as compared with the fourth quartile, odds ratio 3.83, 95% confidence intervals, 1.53–9.63, P = 0.004). Similar significant findings were observed when the NT-1 levels were added as a continuous variable. Our data demonstrated that decreased serum NT-1 levels, in a Chinese population, were significantly associated with PSD at 3 months.