|
|
Depression and functional outcome in
patients with brain tumors: a population-based 1-year follow-up study
Mainio A, Hakko H, Niemela A, Koivukangas J,
Rasanen P
Departments of Psychiatry and Neurosurgery, Oulu University
Hospital, Oulu, Finland. arja.mainio@oulu.fi
Object. The authors analyzed changes in depression and
contemporary functional states by using valid tools in a
population-based study sample during a 1-year follow-up period.
Methods. The study
population consisted of 77 patients with a solitary primary brain
tumor treated surgically at the Oulu Clinic for Neurosurgery.
Each patient's depressive status, according to the Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI), and functional outcome, based on the Karnofsky
Performance Scale (KPS), were evaluated before the tumor was
surgically treated as well as 3 months and 1 year after surgery.
Before surgery 27 patients (35%) had BDI scores indicating the
presence of depression.
These scores were significantly higher in patients with a history of
depression (p = 0.017) and in those with a lower functional outcome (p
= 0.015).
In the entire study sample the severity of depression decreased
statistically significantly (p = 0.031) at 3 months postsurgery.
A lower functional status (KPS score < or = 70) in patients was
significantly associated with high depression scores at the 3-month (p
= 0.000) and 1-year (p = 0.005) assessments.
The decrease in the level of depression was significant in patients
with an anterior tumor (p = 0.049) and those with a pituitary adenoma
(p = 0.019).
Conclusions.
Affective disorders among patients with brain tumors must be
considered immediately after surgery, especially in persons with a
depression history and in those with a coincident physical disability.
|
