Increased high-mobility group box 1 levels are associated with depression after acute ischemic stroke

Background and purpose Increased high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) levels were found in patients after acute ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to examine whether the circulating HMGB1 levels could predict the 3-month post-stroke depression (PSD). Methods The subjects were first-ever ischemic stroke patients who were hospitalized during the period from July 2020 to December 2020. HMGB1 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after admission. A 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was performed to evaluate PSD at 3 months after stroke. Results The analyses included 324 participants (mean age, 63.7 years; 171 male). Ninety-four patients (29.0%) were diagnosed as having PSD at 3 months. The median serum HMGB1 levels at admission was 7.5 ng/mL (IQR, 4.4–11.3 ng/mL). The PSD distribution across the HMGB1 quartiles ranged between 17.5% (first quartile) and 57.5% (fourth quartile). After covariate adjustments, the fourth quartile of HMGB1 was found to be associated with a higher risk of PSD (as compared with first HMGB1 quartile, odd ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–1.35; P