engleski

Immunological status in victims of war: Croatian refugees and Bosnian prisoners

Considerable evidence shows the stress influences immunoreactivity. However, there is no data on the effect of prolonged, severe mental and physical war-related stress on immune reactivity. Thirty-four Croation war refugees and 29 prisonsrs from the Bosnian camp Manjača, and two groups of healthy age-matched controls were examined in parallel. Compared to controls, the refugees had a significantly increased absolute number of T, Th/i, lymphocytes and NK cells. Increased was also the number of activated T, B, and NK cells as well as the serum cortisol and beta-endorphin level. A significant positive correlation was recorded between the absolute number of NK cells, a (CD16+) subpopulation of NK cells, activated B cells, serum cortisol level and the score of Cornex test for psychosomatic disturbances. A study of another group of war victim prisoners from Manjača, livint in extremely stressful conditions, revealed more pronounced alterations of tested immunological and haematological parameters.

chronic stress; war victims; lymphocyte subpopulations; NK cells; cortisol endorphin; psychosomatic status; humans

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