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The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2010 December;50(4):511-18

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effects of a supervised exercise program on the physical fitness and immunological function of HIV-infected patients

Farinatti P. T. V. ^{1, 2}, Borges J. P. ¹, Gomes R. D. ¹, Lima D. ³, Fleck S. J. ⁴ ✉

¹ Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion/ State University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; ² Salgado de Oliveira University, Niteroi, Brazil; ³ Department of Internal Medicine/ Pedro Ernesto University Hospital, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; ⁴ Sports Science Department, Colorado College, CO, USA

AIM: Exercise effects in subjects with HIV/AIDS are not entirely understood. The study aimed to investigate the effects of a supervised exercise program on the physical fitness and immunological function of HIV-infected subjects.
METHODS: Twenty-seven highly active antiretroviral therapy treated HIV-infected patients (age: 45±2 years; CD4-T: 21.3±2.2%) were assigned to a control (CG, n=8) or experimental (EG, n=19) group. The EG participated in a 12-week exercise program, consisting of aerobic training, strength, and flexibility exercises (3 times/wk; aerobic-30min: PWC 150; strength-50min: 3 sets of 12 reps of 5 exercises at 60-80% 12 RM; flexibility-10min: 2 sets of 30 s at maximal range of motion of 8 exercises).
RESULTS: Prior to training there was no significant difference in any variable between the EG and the CG. Flexibility (23%, P<0.05), 12 repetition maximum in the leg press and seated bilateral row exercises (54% and 65% respectively, P<0.05) increased, while the heart rate at a given cycle ergometer workload declined (19% for slope and 12% for intercept, P<0.05) in the EG, but not in the CG. No significant differences were found for the relative and absolute CD4 T-cell counts between groups prior to or after training, but there was a slight enhancement trend in the EG (16%, P=0.19).
CONCLUSION: Overall training can improve the muscle and aerobic fitness of HIV-infected patients with no negative effect on their immunological function.