Incidence and Prediction of Chronic Depression Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Single-Center 17-Year Experience

OBJECTIVE: The incidence and risk factors for chronic depression after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are described. -METHODS: Patients with aSAH treated at a single institution (January 1, 2003 -December 31, 2019) and a modified Rankin Scale score 53 at follow-up who were evaluated for chronic depression were analyzed. Chronic depression was defined using a depression screening questionnaire as double dagger 5 positive answers for symptoms lasting >2 weeks. A predictive model was designed for the primary outcome of depression.RESULTS: Among 1419 patients with aSAH, 460 patients were analyzed; 130 (28%) had major depressive disorder. Mean follow-up was >6 years. Higher depression rates were associated with tobacco smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 2.64, P< 0.001), illicit drug use (OR = 2.35, P = 0.007), alcohol use disorder (1.92, P = 0.04), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR=2.68, P = 0.03), and vasospasm requiring angioplasty (OR=2.09, P = 0.048). The predictive model included tobacco smoking, illicit drug use, liver dis-ease, COPD, diabetes, nonsaccular aneurysm type, anterior communicating artery or anterior cerebral artery aneurysm location, refractory spasm requiring angioplasty, and a modified Rankin Scale score at discharge of >1 (P 5 0.03). The model performed with appropriate goodness of fit and an area under the receiver operator curve of 0.70 for depression. Individual independent predictors of depression were tobacco smoking, COPD, diabetes, and nonsaccular aneurysm. -CONCLUSIONS: A substantial percentage of patients had symptoms of depression on follow-up. The proposed predictive model for depression may be a useful clinical tool to identify patients at high risk for developing depression who warrant early screening and evaluation.

Automated summary

This study investigated the incidence and risk factors for chronic depression after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The study found that smoking, illicit drug use, alcohol use disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and vasospasm requiring angioplasty were associated with higher rates of depression. The proposed predictive model may be a useful tool for early screening and evaluation of high-risk patients for depression.