Self-reported manual ability and depressive symptoms, at six months after stroke, predict health-related quality of life at 24 months after stroke

The objective was to determine whether depressive symptoms, self-reported manual ability, self-reported locomotion ability, and functional independence, assessed at 6 months after stroke, are predictors of generic and specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at 24 months after stroke. This is a prospective longitudinal study with individuals with and without previous disability. The dependent variables, assessed at 24 months after stroke, were generic [short form-36 (SF-36)] and specific (stroke-specific quality of life) HRQoL. Potential predictors, assessed at 6 months after stroke, were: depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale), self-reported manual (ABILHAND) and locomotor (ABILOCO) abilities, and functional independence (Modified Barthel Index). Multiple linear regression analyses were employed to identify the potential predictors of generic (model-1) and specific (model-2) HRQoL (α = 5%). Sixty-eight individuals were evaluated at both 6 and 24 months after stroke (59 years, SD 13). The regression analysis showed that the self-reported manual ability and depressive symptoms at 6 months after stroke were significant predictors of generic ( R2 = 26.1%; F = 24.96; P = 0.001) and specific ( R2 = 26.4%; F = 25.332; P = 0.002) HRQoL at 24 months poststroke. Self-reported manual ability and depressive symptoms, at 6 months after stroke, are predictors of HRQoL at 24 months. Thus, these outcomes are important to be considered in the immediate chronic phase of the stroke since individuals with worse self-reported manual ability and presence of depressive symptoms are at risk of experiencing worse HRQoL in the late chronic phase.