Stress Management and Immune System Reconstitution in Symptomatic HIV-Infected Gay Men Over Time: Effects on Transitional Naive T Cells (CD4+CD45RA+CD29+)

OBJECTIVE: Changes in immunologic status were evaluated in 25 HIV-infected men randomly assigned to a 10-week stress management intervention or a wait-list control condition. METHOD: The authors monitored changes in number of transitional naive T cells (CD4(+)CD45RA(+)CD29(+)) over 6-12 months after the completion of the intervention. RESULTS: Men receiving stress management had higher CD4(+) CD45RA(+)CD29(+) cell counts at follow-up than did the control subjects. This difference was independent of initial number of naive T cells and HIV virus load. CONCLUSIONS: Stress management is associated with immunologic reconstitution in HIV-positive gay men.