PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND NATURAL-KILLER-CELLS IN GAY MEN WITH AND WITHOUT HIV-INFECTION

Objective: The variability of the decline in immune function among tho se infected by HIV raises the possibility that psychological factors m ight help to explain the differences. Since studies of other populatio ns have shown natural kilter (NK) cells to be affected by psychiatric conditions, the authors examined this relationship in the context of H IV infection, expecting to find fewer NK cells to be associated with g reater psychological distress. Method: Forty-six HIV-negative and 74 H IV-positive gay men who were participating in a longitudinal study had NK cell enumerations performed (by staining for CD56) 36 months after entry into the study. Comparisons were made between HIV-negative, HIV -positive asymptomatic, and HIV-positive symptomatic men by using a va riety of clinician-rated and self-report measures of psychological fun ction and absolute NK cell number. Results: HIV-negative men had move NK cells than the groups of HIV-positive men. The groups' measures of Psychological distress did not differ in ally clinically meaningful wa ys. fit general, the presence of DSM-III-R diagnoses and the measures of distress did not relate to NK cell number. Conclusions: NK cell num ber is not related to measures of psychological distress in these gay men with and without HIV infection.