[Lymphadenopathy and a lower T-helper/suppressor cell (Th/Ts) ratio in homosexual men in West Germany. Studies of 147 patients to evaluate the individual risk of acquiring AIDS].

Investigations on 147 homosexual men in Berlin-West (17-57 years old, kappa = 32 years) revealed the presence of lymphadenopathy in 90 cases (61.2%). In addition, the Th/Ts-ratio was significantly reduced in the entire homosexual group compared to a control group of heterosexual men (n = 13) of comparable age [2P(z) = 0.0001; Mann-Whitney-U-test]. In homosexual men with marked lymphadenopathy (n = 43) the ThlTs-ratio was found to be lower than in those without lymphadenopathy (n = 57); the difference was significant (P less than 0.01). The reduction of the Th/Ts-ratio in the entire group was mainly due to a significant increase of the number of Ts-lymphocytes (P less than 0.005); Th-lymphocytes showed a trend to decrease which only became significant values in the group of homosexual men with marked lymphadenopathy (P less than 0.05). Similarly, no statistical correlation was found between reduction of Th/Ts-ratio and the age of homosexual men in the entire group (n = 147) as compared to controls; whereas, in the group of homosexuals with marked lymphadenopathy (n = 43) the decrease of Th/Ts became significant with increasing age. No statistical correlation was found between lymphadenopathy, reduction of Th/Ts-ratio and promiscuity (lifetime number of partners, number of partners during the last 6 months). The high prevalence of lymphadenopathy and reduction of Th/Ts-ratio, regarded as parameters of the individual AIDS-risk, indicate that a considerable number of homosexual men in Germany may develop that syndrome.