Are they necessary? Preventive therapies for post-stroke depression: A meta-analysis of RCTs

Association between serum inflammatory cytokines levels and post-stroke depression among stroke patients: A meta-analysis and systematic review

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a common neuropsychiatric complication after stroke. Neuroinflammation triggered by the stroke event may be its predisposing factor.

METHODS

We systematically searched all electronic databases up to December 22, 2024. Observational studies comparing cytokine levels between PSD and non-PSD patients were included. Sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression were conducted to assess robustness, explore heterogeneity, and identify effect modifiers.

RESULTS

A total of 26 studies with 6573 acute stroke patients were included, of whom 2453 developed PSD. PSD patients were older (63.7 vs. 62.8 years) and included more females (36.4 % vs. 35.1 %) than non-PSD patients. PSD patients had significantly higher serum levels of IL-1β (SMD = 0.35, 95 % CI = [0.07, 0.63], p = 0.02), IL-6 (SMD = 0.74, 95 % CI = [0.50, 0.97], p < 0.001), IL-18 (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI = [0.13, 0.86], p = 0.007), TNF-α (SMD = 0.44, 95 % CI = [0.15, 0.72], p = 0.003) and IFN-γ (SMD = 0.11, 95 % CI = [0.02, 0.19], p = 0.01), while IL-10 levels showed no significant difference (p = 0.06). IL-6 levels remained associated with PSD diagnosis at 1, 3 and 6 months. Meta-regression identified female proportion (IL-6: p = 0.043; IL-10: p = 0.024), mean age (IL-18: p = 0.015; TNF-α: p = 0.040), BMI (IL-18: p = 0.019), and diabetes proportion (IL-6: p = 0.009; TNF-α: p = 0.033) as significant moderators.

CONCLUSIONS

Inflammatory cytokines may serve as biomarkers for PSD, offering insights into its pathophysiology and potential diagnostic tools. Prospero registration number: CRD42024548753.

A comprehensive overview of post-stroke depression treatment options

Nearly one-third of all stroke patients develop depression at any time after a stroke, and its presence is associated with unfavorable outcomes. This narrative review aims to provide a synopsis of possible pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment modalities for post-stroke depression (PSD). Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treating the symptoms of this clinical condition. The treatment of PSD has been recently enhanced by innovative approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, virtual reality, telehealth, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and non-conventional therapies, which might improve depression treatment in stroke survivors. Future high-quality randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm this hypothesis.

Efficacy and Safety of Antidepressants in Patients With Comorbid Depression and Medical Diseases: An Umbrella Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Every third to sixth patient with medical diseases receives antidepressants, but regulatory trials typically exclude comorbid medical diseases. Meta-analyses of antidepressants have shown small to medium effect sizes, but generalizability to clinical settings is unclear, where medical comorbidity is highly prevalent.

Objective

To perform an umbrella systematic review of the meta-analytic evidence and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of antidepressant use in populations with medical diseases and comorbid depression.

Data Sources

PubMed and EMBASE were searched from inception until March 31, 2023, for systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy and safety of antidepressants for treatment or prevention of comorbid depression in any medical disease.

Study Selection

Meta-analyses of placebo- or active-controlled RCTs studying antidepressants for depression in individuals with medical diseases.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Data extraction and quality assessment using A Measurement Tool for the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR-2 and AMSTAR-Content) were performed by pairs of independent reviewers following PRISMA guidelines. When several meta-analyses studied the same medical disease, the largest meta-analysis was included. Random-effects meta-analyses pooled data on the primary outcome (efficacy), key secondary outcomes (acceptability and tolerability), and additional secondary outcomes (response and remission).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Antidepressant efficacy presented as standardized mean differences (SMDs) and tolerability (discontinuation for adverse effects) and acceptability (all-cause discontinuation) presented as risk ratios (RRs).

Results

Of 6587 references, 176 systematic reviews were identified in 43 medical diseases. Altogether, 52 meta-analyses in 27 medical diseases were included in the evidence synthesis (mean [SD] AMSTAR-2 quality score, 9.3 [3.1], with a maximum possible of 16; mean [SD] AMSTAR-Content score, 2.4 [1.9], with a maximum possible of 9). Across medical diseases (23 meta-analyses), antidepressants improved depression vs placebo (SMD, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.30-0.54]; I2 = 76.5%), with the largest SMDs for myocardial infarction (SMD, 1.38 [95% CI, 0.82-1.93]), functional chest pain (SMD, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.08-1.67]), and coronary artery disease (SMD, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.32-1.33]) and the smallest for low back pain (SMD, 0.06 [95% CI, 0.17-0.39]) and traumatic brain injury (SMD, 0.08 [95% CI, -0.28 to 0.45]). Antidepressants showed worse acceptability (24 meta-analyses; RR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.02-1.32]) and tolerability (18 meta-analyses; RR, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.13-1.64]) compared with placebo. Antidepressants led to higher rates of response (8 meta-analyses; RR, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.14-1.94]) and remission (6 meta-analyses; RR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.25-1.61]) than placebo. Antidepressants more likely prevented depression than placebo (7 meta-analyses; RR, 0.43 [95% CI, 0.33-0.53]).

Conclusions and Relevance

The results of this umbrella systematic review of meta-analyses found that antidepressants are effective and safe in treating and preventing depression in patients with comorbid medical disease. However, few large, high-quality RCTs exist in most medical diseases.

An updated review on prediction and preventive treatment of post-stroke depression

INTRODUCTION

Post-stroke depression (PSD), one of the most common complications following stroke, affects approximately one-third of stroke patients and is significantly associated with increased disability and mortality as well as decreased quality of life, which makes it an important public health concern. Treatment of PSD significantly ameliorates depressive symptoms and improves the prognosis of stroke.

AREAS COVERED

The authors discuss the critical aspects of the clinical application of prediction and preventive treatment of PSD. Then, the authors update the biological factors associated with the onset of PSD. Furthermore, they summarize the recent progress in pharmacological preventive treatment in clinical trials and propose potential treatment targets. The authors also discuss the current roadblocks in the preventive treatment of PSD. Finally, the authors put postulate potential directions for future studies so as to discover accurate predictors and provide individualized preventive treatment.

EXPERT OPINION

Sorting out high-risk PSD patients using reliable predictors will greatly assist PSD management. Indeed, some predictors not only predict the incidence of PSD but also predict prognosis, which indicates that they might also aid the development of an individualized treatment scheme. Preventive application of antidepressants may also be considered.

Establishment and verification of a nomogram model for predicting the risk of post-stroke depression

Objective

The purpose of this study was to establish a nomogram predictive model of clinical risk factors for post-stroke depression (PSD).

Patients and Methods

We used the data of 202 stroke patients collected from Xuanwu Hospital from October 2018 to September 2020 as training data to develop a predictive model. Nineteen clinical factors were selected to evaluate their risk. Minimum absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression were used to select the best patient attributes, and seven predictive factors with predictive ability were selected, and then multi-factor logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine six predictive factors and establish a nomogram prediction model. The C-index, calibration chart, and decision curve analyses were used to evaluate the predictive ability, accuracy, and clinical practicability of the prediction model. We then used the data of 156 stroke patients collected by Xiangya Hospital from June 2019 to September 2020 for external verification.

Results

The selected predictors including work style, number of children, time from onset to hospitalization, history of hyperlipidemia, stroke area, and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. The model showed good prediction ability and a C index of 0.773 (95% confidence interval: [0.696-0.850]). It reached a high C-index value of 0.71 in bootstrap verification, and its C index was observed to be as high as 0.702 (95% confidence interval: [0.616-0.788]) in external verification. Decision curve analyses further showed that the nomogram of post-stroke depression has high clinical usefulness when the threshold probability was 6%.

Conclusion

This novel nomogram, which combines patients' work style, number of children, time from onset to hospitalization, history of hyperlipidemia, stroke area, and NIHSS score, can help clinicians to assess the risk of depression in patients with acute stroke much earlier in the timeline of the disease, and to implement early intervention treatment so as to reduce the incidence of PSD.

Can pharmacological, psychological and non-invasive brain stimulation interventions prevent depression after stroke? A cochrane review summary with commentary

BACKGROUND

Depression is very common in patients after a stroke and it can impact recovery.

OBJECTIVE

The Cochrane Review aimed to determine whether psychological therapy, pharmacological interventions, non-invasive brain stimulation, or their combination can prevent depression after stroke.

METHODS

The population addressed were patients who suffered from a stroke and had no previous diagnosis of depressive disorders. Studies comparing pharmacological intervention to placebo, psychological therapy to usual care, and non-invasive brain stimulation to sham stimulation or usual care were included.

RESULTS

Outcome information was available for nine pharmacological and two psychological trials, showing favorable treatment effects.

CONCLUSIONS

The available evidence suggests that pharmacological interventions and psychological therapy may prevent depression and improve mood after stroke. Although, the current evidence is of very low quality resulting in serious uncertainties about the estimates of effect observed.

Risk factors and ambulatory outcome in ischemic stroke patients with pre-stroke depression

OBJECTIVE

It is well known that post-stroke depression might be a negative factor for stroke recovery, however there is limited evidence to establish the link between pre-stroke depression and stroke outcome such motor recovery. The objective is to determine clinical risk factors in ischemic stroke patients with pre-stroke depression that are associated functional ambulatory outcome.

METHODS

Data from acute ischemic patients from a regional stroke registry were collected for consecutive recombinant tissue plasminogen activator(rtPA)-treated acute ischemic stroke patients between January 2010 and June 2016. Logistic regression model was used to predict risk factors that served as predictive variables, while the increase or reduce odds of improvement in ambulatory outcome was considered as the primary outcome. Multicollinearity and possible interactions among the independent variables were analyzed using the variance inflation factor.

RESULTS

A total of 1446 patients were eligible for recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) and 596 of these patients received rtPA. Of the 596 ischemic stroke patients, 286 patients presented with recent pre-stroke depression, 310 had no pre-stroke depression. Carotid artery stenosis (OR = 11.577, 95% CI, 1.281-104.636, P = 0.029) and peripheral vascular disease (OR = 18.040, 95% CI, 2.956-110.086, P = 0.002) were more likely to be associated with increase odds of improvement in ambulation in patients with no pre-stroke depression treated with rtPA, while antihypertensive medications (OR = 0.192, 95% CI, 0.035-1.067, P = 0.050),previous TIA (OR = 0.177, 95% CI, 0.038-0.818, P = 0.027), and congestive heart failure (OR = 0. 0.160, 95% CI, 0.030-0.846, P = 0.031) were associated with reduced odds of improvement in ambulation. In addition, carotid artery stenosis (OR = 0.078, 95% CI, 0.10-0.614, P = 0.015, congestive heart failure (OR = 0.217, 95% CI, 0.318-0.402, P = 0.030), previous TIA (OR = 0.444, 95% CI, 0.517-0.971, P = 0.012), higher NIHSS scores ((OR = 0.887, 95% CI, 0.830-0.948, P < 0.001), and antihypertensive medications (OR = 0.810, 95% CI, 0.401-0.529, P = 0.019) were associated with the reduced odd of improvement in ambulation in an ischemic stroke population with pre-stroke depression treated with rtPA.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that more risk factors were associated with the decreased odds of an improvement in ambulation following thrombolytic therapy in an ischemic stroke population with pre-stroke depression when compared with those without pre-stroke depression. This finding maybe helpful in the development of management strategies to increase the use of thrombolytic therapy for pre-stroke depressed ischemic stroke to increased their eligibility for rtPA.

Primary prevention of depression: An umbrella review of controlled interventions

BACKGROUND

Primary prevention has the potential to modify the course of depression, but the consistency and magnitude of this effect are currently undetermined.

METHODS

PRISMA and RIGHT compliant (PROSPERO:CRD42020179659) systematic meta-review, PubMed/Web of Science, up to June 2020. Meta-analyses of controlled interventions for the primary prevention of depressive symptoms [effect measures: standardized mean difference (SMD)] or depressive disorders [effect measure: relative risk (RR)] were carried out. Results were stratified by: (i) age range; (ii) target population (general and/or at-risk); (iii) intervention type. Quality (assessed with AMSTAR/AMSTAR-PLUS content) and credibility (graded as high/moderate/low) were assessed. USPSTF grading system was used for recommendations.

RESULTS

Forty-six meta-analyses (k=928 individual studies, n=286,429 individuals, mean age=22.4 years, 81.1% female) were included. Effect sizes were: SMD=0.08-0.53; for depressive symptoms; RR=0.90-0.28 for depressive disorders. Sensitivity analyses including only RCTs did not impact the findings. AMSTAR median=9 (IQR=8-9); AMSTAR-PLUS content median=4.25 (IQR=4-5). Credibility of the evidence was insufficient/low in 43 (93.5%) meta-analyses, moderate in two (4.3%), and high in one (2.2%): reduction of depressive symptoms using psychosocial interventions for young adults only, and a combination of psychological and educational interventions in primary care had moderate credibility; preventive administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for depressive disorders in individuals with a stroke had high credibility.

LIMITATIONS

Intervention heterogeneity and lack of long-term efficacy evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary preventive interventions for depression might be effective. Among them, clinicians may offer SSRIs post-stroke to prevent depressive disorders, and psychosocial interventions for children/adolescents/young adults with risk factors or during the prenatal/perinatal period.

Preventive Approaches for Post-Stroke Depression: Where Do We Stand? A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Post-stroke depression (PSD) occurs in one-third of stroke survivors, leading to a substantial decrease in quality of life as well as delayed functional and neurological recovery. Early detection of patients at risk and initiation of tailored preventive measures may reduce the medical and socioeconomic burden associated with PSD. We sought to review the current evidence on pharmacological and non-pharmacological prevention of PSD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a systematic review using PubMed/MEDLINE and bibliographies of identified papers following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, including randomized controlled studies. Eligible studies were included when performed within 1 year after the index cerebrovascular event. Animal and basic research studies, studies lacking a control group, review papers, and case reports were excluded.

RESULTS

Out of 150 studies screened, 37 met our criteria. Among the strategies identified, administration of antidepressants displayed the most robust evidence for preventing PSD, whereas non-pharmacological interventions such as psychotherapy appear to be the most frequently used approaches to prevent depression after stroke. Research suggests that the efficacy of PSD prevention increases with the duration of preventive treatment. Seven out of 11 studies (63%) that used pharmacological and eight out of 16 (50%) that used non-pharmacological interventions reported a positive preventive effect on PSD.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the current literature on PSD prevention shows heterogeneity, substantiating a need for well-designed randomized controlled trials to test the safety and efficacy of pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological and composite prevention regimens to minimize the risk of PSD in stroke survivors. Integrative strategies combining personalized non-pharmacological interventions such as educational, mental, and physical health support, and pharmacological strategies such as SSRIs may be the most promising approach to prevent PSD.

Depressed Mood after Stroke: Predictive Factors at Six Months Follow-Up

We aimed to know the prevalence of post-stroke depression (PSD) in our context, identify the variables that could predict post-stroke depression, by using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, occurring within six months after stroke, and identify patients at high risk for PSD. Methods: descriptive, cross-sectional and observational study. We included 173 patients with stroke (transient ischemic attack (TIA) included) and collected sociodemographic and clinical variables. We used the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDS) for depression assessment and Barthel Index and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) for functional assessment. The neurological severity was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Results: 35.5% were women, aged 71.16 (±12.3). Depression was present in 42.2% patients (n = 73) at six months after stroke. The following variables were significantly associated with PSD: diagnosis of previous depression (p = 0.005), the modified Rankin Scale at discharge (p = 0.032) and length of hospital stay (p = 0.012). Conclusion: PSD is highly prevalent after stroke and is associated with the severity, left location of the stroke, and the degree of disability at discharge. Its impact justifies the evaluation and early treatment that still continues to be a challenge today.

Post-stroke depression: A 2020 updated review

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is common and associated with higher mortality, poorer recovery, more pronounced cognitive deficits, and lower quality of life than is stroke without depression. This manuscript will conduct an updated, comprehensive and clinically-useful review of the risk factors, pathophysiology, assessment, prevention, and treatment of PSD.

METHODS

This narrative review summarizes articles obtained on PubMed, Medline, EMBase, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Database. This review prioritized articles with a more robust level of evidence, such as original articles with longitudinal data and/or larger samples, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and metaanalyses.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-four articles were reviewed, of which 44 (35%) were published before 2016 and 80 (65%) that were published since 2016.

DISCUSSION

Rates of PSD range from 18 to 33%, yet it is vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated. Risk factors for PSD include female sex, history of psychiatric illness, large or multiple strokes, injuries in frontal/anterior areas or in the basal ganglia, stroke occurrence within the past year, poor social support, and pronounced disability. The pathophysiology of PSD is multifactorial and likely involves decreased levels of monoamines, abnormal neurotrophic response, increased inflammation with dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. The evidence for preventive interventions for PSD is somewhat inconsistent and modest. The best treatment for PSD consists of the combination of pharmacological, psychosocial and stroke-focused interventions.

CONCLUSION

PSD is a common, treatable condition that is associated with several negative outcomes. Early detection and proper management are critical to obtain better outcomes in individuals with PSD.

Developments in treating the nonmotor symptoms of stroke

INTRODUCTION

Stroke is among the most common causes of disability worldwide. Nonmotor symptoms of stroke are common and disabling. Many are treatable, and intervention improves the quality of life for stroke survivors.

AREAS COVERED

Here the author summarizes the evidence-based treatment of depression and other mood disorders, aphasia, hemispatial neglect, impairments of emotional communication and empathy, deficits in memory and other cognitive functions, sleep disorders, pain, fatigue, and seizures resulting from stroke. The author focuses on treatments supported by randomized controlled trials (RCTs), from the literature cited in Google Scholar, Embase, and Pubmed.

EXPERT OPINION

While behavioral rehabilitation is the most common intervention for many of the sequelae of stroke, relatively small RCTs support the use of noninvasive brain stimulation (transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation) and medications that facilitate neural plasticity and recovery. These noninvasive brain stimulation methods remain investigational for post-stroke symptoms. The strongest evidence for pharmacological intervention is in the domains of post-stroke mood disorders and epilepsy, but additional RCTs are needed to confirm the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other medications for improving recovery of cognition, language, and energy after stroke.