OBJECTIVETo study the depression related factors in elderly patients after stroke and to explore the effect of Chinese medicine anti-depression treatment for improving neurological function in patients with after-stroke depression.

METHODSThree hundred and seventy-seven after-stroke elderly patients were sorted, according to their Hamilton Depression Scale-17 (HAMD17) scores, to the non-depression group (NDG, 116 patients) and the depression group (DG, 261 patients). The depression related factors in them were analysed. Moreover, patients in DG were randomly subassigned to two groups, the 135 patients in the treated group were treated with Chinese medicine and general stroke-treatment, and the 126 patients in the control group were treated only with general stroke-treatment for 4 weeks. HAMD17 scores of neurological deficit (NDS), scores of sleep dysfunction rating scale (SDRS), Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAMA), and treatment emergent symptom scale (TESS) in them were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSPrevalence rate of depression in patients with cerebral hemorrhage was 79.78% (71/89), significantly higher than that in patients with cerebral infarction, 65.97% (190/288, P < 0.05). Patients of stroke with lesion occurred at cerebellum, brain stem, or cerebral hemisphere (frontal lobe) and those with moderate/severe neurological deficit were more liable to suffer from depression. The HAMD17, HAMA, SDRS, and NDS scores in the treated group after treatment were all improved more significantly than in the control group (P < 0.05). NDS score reduced in the treated group significantly from 19.1 +/- 16.3 before treatment to 31.3 +/- 14.8 after treatment, showing the evident recovery of nerve function.

CONCLUSIONThe occurrence of depression after stroke is closely related with the nature and position of the lesion, as well as the degree of neurological deficit in patients. Chinese medicine could improve the depressive manner effectively and thus to make for recovery of neurological function.