Relationship between plasma concentrations of cytokines, ratio of CD4 and CD8, lymphocyte proliferative responses, and depressive and anxiety state in bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE

Immunological dysfunction in participants with bulimia nervosa (BN) might be due to not only chaotic eating behavior but also psychological state, such as depression and anxiety, because studies have found a close relationship between depression, anxiety, and immunological dysfunction.

METHOD: Participants included 20 females with BN and 14 control females. In eight BN participants, immune function was measured twice, before and after inpatient treatment. Cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1 receptor antagonist, IL-2 soluble receptor alpha, IL-6 soluble receptor (sIL-6r), and tumor necrosis factor soluble receptor II (sTNF-rII)], lymphocyte subsets (CD4 and CD8), and lymphocyte proliferative responses were measured.

RESULTS

There were no differences in plasma cytokine levels or lymphocyte subsets between the BN participants and the controls. Conversely, lymphocyte proliferative responses were significantly lower in BN participants than in the controls. Lymphocyte proliferative responses negatively correlated with anxiety trait and improved with an improvement of bulimic state.

CONCLUSION

The comorbid nonspecific anxiety trait significantly contributes to suppressing lymphocyte proliferative responses in BN participants.