Predictive factors for post-cerebral infarction depression: A retrospective study of 156 patients

Table 6 Clinical and biomarker characteristics stratified by depression severity, mean ± SD/n (%)

Characteristic	Mild (n = 31)	Moderate (n = 25)	Severe (n = 12)	P value
HAMD-17 score	11.2 ± 2.8	19.5 ± 1.8	28.3 ± 3.5	< 0.001
PHQ-9 score	8.5 ± 2.2	14.8 ± 2.5	21.2 ± 3.8	< 0.001
NIHSS at admission	7.2 ± 2.0	9.0 ± 2.3	10.2 ± 2.8	0.003
Infarct volume (cm3)	7.5 ± 2.5	9.8 ± 3.0	11.5 ± 3.8	0.001
Frontal lobe infarct, %	25.8	36.0	50.0	0.018
Left hemisphere, %	54.8	68.0	75.0	0.028
mRS at 3 months	2.0 ± 0.8	2.8 ± 0.9	3.5 ± 1.1	< 0.001
Barthel Index at 3 months	78.5 ± 10.2	70.2 ± 12.5	60.5 ± 15.8	< 0.001
Biomarkers
BDNF (ng/mL)	15.2 ± 3.5	11.0 ± 3.2	8.2 ± 2.5	< 0.001
IL-6 (pg/mL)	7.0 ± 1.8	9.2 ± 2.0	11.3 ± 2.8	< 0.001
TNF-α (pg/mL)	14.2 ± 3.0	17.5 ± 3.2	21.8 ± 4.5	< 0.001
hs-CRP (mg/L)	10.8 ± 3.5	14.2 ± 4.0	17.5 ± 5.2	< 0.001
Morning cortisol (nmol/L)	365 ± 85	405 ± 95	445 ± 110	0.003
Homocysteine (μmol/L)	16.5 ± 4.5	19.2 ± 5.0	22.8 ± 6.5	0.002
SSRS score	33.5 ± 6.8	29.2 ± 7.5	26.5 ± 6.2	0.005
Fazekas total score	3.5 ± 0.9	4.2 ± 1.0	4.8 ± 1.2	0.006

P values were calculated using the Jonckheere-Terpstra test for ordered alternatives. HAMD-17: 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire-9; NIHSS: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; mRS: Modified Rankin Scale; BDNF: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor; IL: Interleukin; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor; hs-CRP: High sensitivity C-reactive protein; SSRS: Social Support Rating Scale.