Association of family stress with natural killer cell activity and the frequency of illnesses in children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine prospective associations between chronic stress in the parent-child and family systems and subsequent rates of illnesses and the activity of natural killer (NK) cells in children.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
The Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, Rochester, NY, from July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2003.


METHODS
One hundred sixty-nine socioeconomically and racially diverse children (aged 5-10 years) and their parents. Parents completed measures of their psychiatric symptoms and stress in the family every 6 months. Children's blood samples were obtained for NK cytotoxicity assays every 6 months.


METHODS
Parent-reported total child illnesses and febrile illnesses and results of NK cell cytotoxicity assays. We estimated adjusted illness rate ratios and adjusted mean differences in NK activity.


RESULTS
Elevated parental psychiatric symptoms occurring with family stressors were associated with more total illnesses (rate ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-1.22) and febrile illnesses (rate ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.13-1.64) in children. Natural killer cell function was enhanced in children whose parents reported more chronic stress (estimate, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.05-0.26). Natural killer cell function was not associated with short-term changes in stress. Stress-illness relationships were not associated with stress-related alterations in NK cell function.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic family stress was associated with increased illnesses in children. Unlike older adults, children living with elevated chronic stress had enhanced rather than decreased NK cytotoxicity, suggesting chronic stress may have different effects on the developing immune system. Impaired parental functioning may be a mechanism linking family stress with adverse effects on children's health.
Wyman
Peter A
PA
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA.
Moynihan
Jan
J
Eberly
Shirley
S
Cox
Christopher
C
Cross
Wendi
W
Jin
Xia
X
Caserta
Mary T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004813:Epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*