[Natural killer cell activity in multiple sclerosis patients]

The physical factors are important in the regulation of immunological functions. The primary immunological process maintaining a neuroimmunological disease is influenced by the physical state. In this paper the natural killer activity was demonstrated at 50 patients with definite multiple sclerosis. One fifth of them was depressed. Significantly lower natural killer activity was found in this group unrelated to the disease activity. In the group of patients without depression significantly higher natural killer activity was present in the remission comparing the relapse. Our findings confirmed the frequent appearance of HLA DR2 configuration in multiple sclerosis. HLA differences were not found between the depressed and non-depressed groups. This results concern the role of physical factors in the disease process, but refer to other factors linked to the disease activity.