Self-perceived acute psychological stress and risk of mortality, recurrence and disability after stroke: Mashhad Stroke Incidence Study

This longitudinal study was designed to evaluate the association between acute pre-stroke stress and the severity stroke and its outcomes including mortality, recurrence, disability and functional dependency. Patients with first-ever stroke (FES) were recruited from the Mashhad Stroke Incidence Study. Patients were asked about any acute severe pre-stroke stress in the 2 weeks prior to index stroke. Disability and functional disability were defined using modified the Rankin Scale and Barthel Index, respectively. We used logistic and ordinal regression tests to assess the association between acute pre-stroke stress and study outcomes. Among 624 patients with FES, 169 reported acute pre-stroke stress. Patients with acute pre-stroke stress were younger than those without stress (60.7 ± 14.4 vs. 66.2 ± 14.7; p < 0.001). The frequency of traditional vascular risk factors was not different in patients with and without acute pre-stroke stress. We did not find any association between acute pre-stroke stress and stroke outcomes. Although acute stress was common in our cohort, our results did not support an association between acute pre-stroke stress and the severity of stroke at admission and long-term stroke outcomes.