Association of CD4+T cell subpopulations and psychological stress measures in women living with HIV

Psychological stress is a known immunomodulator. In individuals with HIV, depression, the most common manifestation of increased psychological stress, can affect immune function with lower CD4+ T cell counts correlating with higher levels of depression. It is unknown how other forms of psychological stress can impact immune markers in people living with HIV. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine how CD4+ T cell subpopulations correlated with different forms of psychological stress. We recruited 50 HIV-positive women as part of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. We assessed perceived stress, worry, acute anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression through self-report questionnaires and CD4+ T cell subpopulations using flow cytometry. Our sample was 96% African-American with a mean +/- SD age and body mass index of 42 +/- 8.8 years and 36.6 +/- 11.5kg/m(2), respectively. The mean +/- SD scores on the psychological measures were as follows: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), 16.5 +/- 6.4; Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), 47.7 +/- 13.8; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - State (STAIS), 39.1 +/- 12.3; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - Trait (STAIT), 40.2 +/- 11.4; Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 15.6 +/- 11.4. The mean+SD values for the immune parameters were as follows: regulatory T cells (Treg), 1.25%+/- 0.7; T helper 1 (Th1), 14.9%+/- 6.1; T helper 2 (Th2), 3.8%+/- 2; Th1/Th2 ratio, 4.6 +/- 3; and CD4+ T cell count (cells/mm(3)), 493 +/- 251. Treg levels positively correlated with PSS, STAIS, and STAIT. CD4+ T cell count negatively correlated with PSS, PSWQ, STAIS, STAIT, and CES-D. These data suggest that immune function may be impacted by various forms of psychological stress in HIV-positive women. Interventions that target stress reduction may be useful in improving immune parameters and quality of life.