Purpose: Although previous studies have investigated oxidative stress biomarkers in association with depression in non-stroke subjects, the association between oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid damage and post-stroke depression (PSD) remains unelucidated.
Patients and methods: Two hundred forty-one first-ever ischemic stroke patients were consecutively recruited within the first 24 h of stroke onset and were followed up at 1 month. Serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and catalase (CAT) levels were measured within 24 h of admission using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale was used to evaluate depressive symptoms. Diagnosis of PSD was made in line with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 4th edition criteria for depression.
Results: Serum levels of 8-OHdG (P <0.001) and CAT (P =0.025) increased in depressed patients at admission. A positive correlation was found between the 8-OHdG and CAT levels in both the total stroke patients (r =0.320, P <0.001) and the depressed patients (r =0.300, P =0.012). The 8-OHdG levels were positively correlated with the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale scores (r =0.129, P =0.046) in depressed patients. Multivariate analyses found that 8-OHdG levels ≥200.0 ng/L were independently associated with PSD (odds ratio, 7.477; 95% CI, 3.342–16.289, P <0.001) after adjusting for possible relevant confounders.
Conclusion: Higher serum 8-OHdG levels at admission were found to be correlated with PSD 1 month after stroke.
Keywords: oxidative stress, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, catalase, depression, stroke