Chronic exercise training maintains previously attained cardiopulmonary fitness in patients seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the cardiopulmonary effect and CD3⁺CD4⁺ lymphocyte change due to a 1 year program of moderate exercise training in five of six human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV‐1) infected persons who had previously completed an initial 24‐week exercise training program. Mean entry CD4 count of the five was 274/(xl. Mean entry maximal oxygen consumption (VO_2max) was 41 ml.kg^‐1.min^‐1 for the five subjects. No change was observed in any measured cardiopulmonary parameter (VO_2max, oxygen pulse, minute ventilation) or CD4 count in four of the five participants. The fifth participant, however, showed a profound immunologic and cardiopulmonary deterioration that preceded by less than 1 year the development of two acquired immunodeficiency syndrome‐defining illnesses. The results suggest that chronic exercise training is feasible and beneficial for those HIV‐1 persons with stable and improving CD4 counts above 200/μ1.