Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise in Adults

Living with HIV/AIDS: Systemtic !eview

Posted 10/13/2004
Kelly O'Brien; Stephanie Nixon; Anne-Marie Tynan; Richard H.
Glazier
A!tract and "ntrod#ction
A!tract
$#rpo!e% The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness and safety of
aerobic exercise interventions on immunological/virological cardio!ulmonary and !sychological
outcomes in adults living with "#$/%#&'(
Method!% Ten randomi)ed trials of "#$*!ositive adults !erforming aerobic exercise three times
!er wee+ for at least 4 w+ were identified by searching 13 electronic databases abstracts from
conferences reference lists and !ersonal contact with authors from 1,-0 to .ovember 2002( %t
least two inde!endent reviewers assessed articles for inclusion extracted data and assessed
methodological /uality( 0andom effects models were used for meta*analysis(
Re!#lt!% 1ain results indicated that aerobic exercise was associated with small nonsignificant
changes in 2&4 count 3weighted mean difference4 14 cells5mm
*3
,67 2#4 *28 649 viral load
3weighted mean difference4 0(40 log10 co!ies ,67 2#4 *0(2- 1(0:9 and ;2max 3weighted mean
difference4 1(-4 m<5+g
*1
5min
*1
,67 2#4 *0(63 4(209( #ndividual studies suggested that aerobic
exercise may im!rove !sychological well*being for adults living with "#$/%#&'( These findings are
limited to those !artici!ants who continued to exercise and for whom there was ade/uate follow*
u!(
&oncl#!ion% #n conclusion !erforming constant or interval aerobic exercise or a combination of
constant aerobic exercise and !rogressive resistive exercise for at least 20 min at least three
times !er wee+ for 4 w+ may be beneficial and a!!ears to be safe for adults living with "#$/%#&'(
"owever these findings should be inter!reted cautiously due to small sam!le si)es and large
dro!out rates within the included studies( =uture research would benefit from increased attention
to !artici!ant follow*u! and intention*to*treat analysis(