Skip to main content

Table 3 Results of Meta-Analyses in Aerobic Exercise and HIV Systematic Review: Immunological and Virological Outcomes

From: Effectiveness of aerobic exercise for adults living with HIV: systematic review and meta-analysis using the Cochrane Collaboration protocol

Outcomes

Sub-Group Comparison of Meta-Analysis

# of Individual Studies Included in Meta-Analysis

Number of Participants Included in Meta-Analysis

Weighted Mean Difference (WMD)

95 % Confidence Interval

P value of overall effect

I2 statistic (p value for heterogeneity)

Interpretation

CD4 count (cells/mm3)

Aerobic (constant or interval) exercise or combined aerobic and PRE compared with no exercise

14 studies

(Baigis 2002 [50]; Dolan 2006 [51]; Farinatti 2010 [32]; Fitch 2012 [31]; Grinspoon 2000 [42]; LaPerriere 1990 [35, 36] ; Lox 1995 [38]; Mutimura 2008a [45]; Perez-Moreno 2007 [27]; Perna 1999 [48]; Rigsby 1992 [47]; Smith 2001 [40]; Stringer 1998 [49], Tiozzo 2011 [26])

479

37.43 cells/mm3

−0.16, 75.01

0.05

92 %

(p < 0.00001)

No difference in change in CD4 count among exercisers compared with non-exercisers. Confidence interval indicates a positive trend towards an improvement in CD4 count among exercisers.

Constant or PRE compared with no exercise

7 studies

(Dolan 2006 [51]; Farinatti 2010 [32]; Fitch 2012 [31]; Grinspoon 2000 [42]; Perez-Moreno 2007 [27]; Rigsby 1992 [47], Tiozzo 2011 [26])

173

57.82 cells/mm3b

−1.27, 116.91

0.06

74 %

(p = 0.0008)

No difference in change in CD4 count among exercisers compared with non-exercisers. Confidence interval indicates a positive trend towards an improvement in CD4 count among exercisers.

Interval aerobic exercise compared with no exercise

2 studies

(LaPerriere 1990 [35, 36]; Perna 1999) [48]

45

69.58 cells/mm3b

14.08, 125.09

0.01a

64 %

(p = 0.09)

Significant increase in CD4 count for interval aerobic exercise compared with no exercise

Constant or interval aerobic exercise compared with no exercise

7 studies

(Baigis 2002 [50]; LaPerriere [35, 36] 1990; Lox 1995 [38]; Mutimura 2008a [45]; Perna 1999 [48]; Smith 2001 [40]; Stringer 1998 [49])

306

18.08 cells/mm3

−11.82, 47.99

0.24

82 %

(p < 0.0001)

No difference in change in CD4 count among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Constant aerobic exercise compared with no exercise

5 studies

(Baigis 2002 [50]; Lox 1995 [38]; Mutimura 2008a [45]; Smith 2001 [40]; Stringer 1998 [49])

261

−3.11 cells/mm3

−31.06, 24.84

0.83

74 %

(p = 0.004)

No difference in change in CD4 count among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Combined aerobic exercise and diet and/or nutrition counselling group compared with diet and/or nutrition counselling alone

3 studies

(Balasubramanyam 2011 [33]; Ogalha 2011 [28]; Terry 2006) [52]

161

−23.59 cells/mm3

66.10, 18.92

0.28

80 %

(p = 0.006)

No difference in change in CD4 count among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Moderate compared with heavy intensity exercise

2 studies

(Stringer 1998 [49]; Terry 1999 [54])

39

−42.90 cells/mm3

−116.28, 30.47

0.25

44 %

(p = 0.18)

No difference in change in CD4 count for participants exercising at moderate compared with heavy intensity.

CD4 Percentage (%)

Aerobic (constant or interval) exercise or combined aerobic and PRE compared with no exercise

3 studies

(Baigis 2002 [50]; Farinatti 2010 [32]; Smith 2001 [40])

145

0.63 %

−1.32, 2.59

0.53

88 %

(p = 0.0003)

No difference in change in CD4 percentage among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Constant aerobic exercise group compared with no exercise

AND

Constant or interval aerobic exercise compared with no exercise

2 studies

(Baigis 2002 [50]; Smith 2001 [40])

118

−0.33 %

−1.98, 1.32

0.69

76 %

(p = 0.04)

No difference in change in CD4 percentage among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Viral Load (log10 copies)

Aerobic (constant or interval) exercise or combined aerobic and PRE compared with no exercise

6 studies

(Dolan 2006 [51]; Fitch 2012 [31]; Grinspoon 2000 [42]; Smith 2001 [40]; Stringer 1998 [49], Tiozzo 2011 [26])

162

0.18 log10 copies

−0.13, 0.48

0.27

0 %

(p = 0.68)

No difference in change in viral load among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Aerobic exercise intervention group compared with no exercise AND

Constant aerobic exercise group compared with no exercise

2 studies

(Smith 2001 [40]; Stringer 1998 [49])

63

0.40 log10 copies

−0.28, 1.07

0.25

0 %

(p = 0.88)

No difference in change in viral load among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

Combined aerobic and PRE group compared with no exercise

4 studies

(Dolan 2006 [51]; Fitch 2012 [31]; Grinspoon 2000 [42], Tiozzo 2011 [26])

99

0.12 log10 copies

−0.23, 0.46

0.51

0 %

(p = 0.46)

No difference in change in viral load among exercisers compared with non-exercisers.

  1. aindicates statistical significance
  2. baligned with clinical importance