Accelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months as a predictor of symptoms of depression and anxiety 1 year after stroke: a multicentre prospective cohort study in central Norway.
Ailan Phan, Torunn Askim, Stian Lydersen and 2 others
PMID 37970656WHAT IT FOUND
Accelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months post-stroke did not predict depression or anxiety at 1 year after adjusting for stroke severity and other factors.
Sedentary time, light, and moderate activity levels showed no significant link to mood outcomes.
Key findings
01Time spent in sedentary, light, or moderate physical activity was not significantly associated with depression scores at 12 months after adjusting for other variables.
02Physical activity variables did not significantly predict symptoms of anxiety at 12 months in multivariable models.
03Stroke severity, functional disability, comorbidity burden, and cognitive function were predictive of depression symptoms at 12 months in age- and sex-adjusted analyses.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study sample represented a comparatively healthier stroke population, as participants with more severe strokes and higher disability were less likely to have complete activity data. The analysis only assessed accumulated time spent in physical activity and sedentary behaviour, not patterns such as breaking up sedentary time or duration of activity bouts. No participants engaged in vigorous physical activity, limiting the ability to assess its potential impact on mood. Pre-stroke history of mood disorders was not accounted for, which could confound the relationship between post-stroke activity and mood. The sample size for participants with depression or anxiety symptoms was relatively small, potentially limiting statistical power to detect effects.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that physical activity is irrelevant to post-stroke mental health. This study found no predictive link between activity levels at 3 months and mood at 12 months, but it did not test whether increasing activity improves mood, nor did it account for pre-stroke mental health history.