Early fluoxetine treatment of post-stroke depression--a three-month double-blind placebo-controlled study with an open-label long-term follow up.

Objective: Poststroke depression is a frequent psychiatric complication after stroke that may have strong negative impact on rehabilitation therapy and functional recovery. This study was conducted to show the efficacy and safety of early treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine in post-stroke depressed patients.

Methods: This double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study was of patients within two weeks after stroke.