Progressive Resistance Training on Elderly HIV⁺ Patients: Does it Work?

Elderly people present significant alterations on body composition and physical fitness, compromising their quality of life. Chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS, worsen this situation by increasing aging effects on body composition and muscle strength. Resistance exercises are prescribed by major health organizations for improving fitness and promoting a shift towards a healthier and more independent aging. In addition, recovering strength and physical fitness is the major goal of exercise in AIDS wasting syndrome. To analyze progressive resistance training effects on body composition, physical fitness and clinical/immunological evolution of HIV⁺ elderly. Subjects were prospectively recruited between November 2003 and July 2004. Training program consisted of 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions of Leg press, seated row, lumbar extension and chest press, performed with free weights machines, 2 times week^−1 during 1 year. The Research Ethical Committee of HCFMUSP approved the study and all participants signed a written informed consent. ID specialized physicians followed patients throughout the study, reporting all relevant clinical data. Body composition was assessed by anthropometric measures and DEXA before and after the training program. 14 patients, aged 61-69 years old, of both genders and without regular physical activity, with an average 9 years HIV/AIDS history, were enrolled. Strength of major muscular groups increased (74-122%, p = 0.003-0.021), with a corresponding improvement on sit-standing and walking 2.4 m tests (p = 0.003). There were no changes on clinical conditions and on most body composition measures, but triceps and thigh skinfoldssignificantly reduced (p = 0.037). In addition, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio improved (0.7-0.81, p<0.0001), with a trend towards an increased CD4⁺ (71 cells, p = 0.054) and decreased CD8⁺ (-75 cells, p = 0.05) counts. Resistance training increased strength, improved physical fitness, reduced upper and lower limbs skinfolds and improved CD4⁺/CD8⁺ counts in elderly living with HIV/AIDS, without significant side effects.