title: A randomized, clinical trial to evaluate the impact of regular physical activity on the quality of life, body morphology and metabolic parameters of patients with AIDS in Salvador, Brazil.
abstract: Patients with AIDS under antiretroviral therapy often present with metabolic problems associated with HIV infection and its therapy, which can affect their quality of life. The knowledge on the potential benefits of regular physical exercises for HIV-infected patients is limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We conducted a clinical trial to evaluate the impact of regular physical activity on quality of life, anatomic disturbances, and/or metabolic changes in patients with AIDS in the city of Salvador, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomly assigned in monthly workshops (1-hour duration) to discuss the importance of physical activity and receive nutritional counseling (control group) or to receive a 1-hour supervised gym class three times a week plus monthly nutritional counseling (intervention group). Before and after intervention, body composition, maximum oxygen consumption, metabolic equivalent, blood count, fasting total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glucose, HIV viral load and CD4/CD8 counts, and resting heart rate were measured. Quality of life was evaluated at baseline and after 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The domains of quality of life, general health, vitality and mental health increased in the exercise group (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. In the exercise group, fat mass (P = 0.04), the resting heart rate (P = 0.001), waist circumference (P = 0.002), and glucose (P = 0.003) decreased. Muscle mass (P = 0.002), CD4 T cells (P = 0.002), metabolic equivalent (P = 0.014), and maximum oxygen consumption (P = 0.05) increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The practice of regular exercise, coupled with nutritional guidance, in individuals with HIV/AIDS significantly improves the quality of life.
authors.affiliation: From the Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cecília
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ogalha
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Luz
authors.forename: Ethiane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarife
authors.forename: Mansueto Gomes
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Netto
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brites
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D001938:Brazil; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D008055:Lipids