Psychological stress is associated with high levels of IL-6 in HIV-1 infected individuals on effective combined antiretroviral treatment.
This study explores the role of psychological stress in the circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a group of HIV-1 infected individuals on effective cART. We developed a cross-sectional study with 50 individuals with confirmed diagnosis of HIV-1 infection ≥1 and ≤8 years, on continuous cART for >1 and <8 years and with plasma viral load <50 copies/mL for at least 1 year. Clinical, behavioral and psychological variables were collected to control their possible indirect contribution in the relationship between psychological stress and IL-6. Pearson correlation and univariate/multivariate logistic regressions were performed. Eighty-eight percent of the subjects were male: median (IQR) age: 39.0 (32.7-42.2), years since HIV-1 infection: 3.4 (2.1-7.0), years on cART: 2.5 (1.6-5.7), CD4 cell count: 709.0 (573.5-881.0) cell/mm(3), plasma levels of IL-6: 7.0 (0-12.2) pg/ml. A strong correlation between IL-6 and psychological stress was found (r=.81). Psychological stress (coef: 0.49; SD: 0.05), anxiety/depression (0.37; 0.08) and unhealthy diet (2.94; 1.38) were associated with higher levels of IL-6. In the multivariate model psychological stress remained strongly associated with IL-6 (R(2): 59%). In conclusion, individuals with psychological stress presented high levels of IL-6 and psychological stress was the only variable which remained strongly associated with IL-6. This strong relationship suggests evidence for a mechanism through which psychological stress might contribute to the health's impairment of HIV-infected individuals on effective cART.
Lluita contra la SIDA Foundation, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. cfumaz@flsida.org
Carmina R
CR
Fumaz
Marian
M
Gonzalez-Garcia
Xavier
X
Borras
Jose A
JA
Muñoz-Moreno
Nuria
N
Perez-Alvarez
Beatriz
B
Mothe
Christian
C
Brander
Maria Jose
MJ
Ferrer
Jordi
J
Puig
Anuska
A
Llano
Jordi
J
Fernandez-Castro
Bonaventura
B
Clotet
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*; D019562:Viral Load
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6