Table 1 Selected characteristics of included studies in the Progressive Resistive Exercise (PRE) and HIV systematic review (n = 20) (for further details, see Additional file 2)

Agin (2001) [35]

Randomized combined PRE and whey protein vs whey protein alone vs PRE alone [3 groups]

43 (with wasting)

100%

Unknown

30

13/43 (30%)

Agostini (2009) [25]^{a, b}

Randomized combined AER + PRE vs diet and aerobic exercise recommendation alone (no exercise)

[2 groups]

76

39%

100%

70

6/76 (8%)

Balasubramanyam (2011) [26]^{a, b}

Randomized trial with five groups. In this review we compared diet and exercise (lifestyle change) vs usual care (no exercise) [2 groups]

191 (with dyslipidemia)

13%

100%

128

(68 participants in the 2 comparison groups of interest)

63/191 (33%)

Bhasin (2000) [36]

Randomized PRE vs PRE + testosterone vs testosterone only vs no exercise [4 groups]

61 (with involuntary weight loss and low testosterone)

0%

100% taking ARVs (unclear whether it was cART)

49

12/61 (20%)

Dolan (2006) [37]^b

Randomized constant ARE +PRE vs no exercise

[2 groups]

40 (with self-reported and physical evidence of changes in fat distribution)

100%

82% taking ARVs (unclear whether it was cART)

38

2/40 (5%)

Driscoll (2004a) [38]^b

Randomized combined AER + PRE and metformin vs metformin alone

[2 groups]

37 (evidence of fat redistribution and hyperinsulinemia)

20%

100%

25

12/37 (32%)

Farinatti (2010) [27]^{a, b}

Randomized constant AER + PRE exercise vs no exercise [2 groups]

27

Not reported

100%

27

0/27 (0%)

Fitch (2012) [28]^{a, b}

Randomized constant AER + PRE exercise (LSM) vs AER + PRE exercise + metformin vs no LSM and metformin alone vs versus no exercise (no LSM or metformin)

[4 groups]

50 (with metabolic syndrome)

24%

100%

36

14/50 (28%)

Grinspoon (2000) [39]^b

Randomized PRE + AER vs PRE + AER and testosterone vs testosterone alone vs no exercise [4 groups]

54 (with AIDS-related wasting)

0%

72%

43

11/54 (20%)

[4/26 (15%) from the 2 groups of interest]

Lindegaard (2008) [29]^{a, b}

Randomized AER vs PRE [2 groups]

20 (with dyslipidemia, lipodystrophy)

0%

100%

18

2/20 (10%)

Lox (1995) [40]^b

Randomized constant AER vs PRE vs no exercise [3 groups]^c

22 (aerobic and control groups only)

0%

100% (taking some form of ARV therapy that may or may not have been in combination)

21

1/22 (4%)

Ogalha (2011) [30]^{a, b}

Randomized AER+ PRE + nutrition counseling vs nutrition counseling alone

[2 groups]

70 (lipodystrophy in 54% of participants)

46%

100%

63

7/70 (10%)

Perez-Moreno (2007) [31]^{a, b}

Randomized constant AER+ PRE vs no exercise [2 groups]

27 (prison inmates living with Hepatitis C co-infection)

0%

10%

19

8/27

(30%)

Rigbsy (1992) [41]

Randomized constant AER+ PRE vs no exercise (counselling) [2 groups]

45 (37 HIV+)

0%

Not reported

31 (24 HIV+)

13/37 (35%)

Sakkas (2009) [32]^a

Randomized PRE+ creatine vs PRE alone

[2 groups]

40

0%

75%

33

7/40 (18%)

Sattler (1999) [42]

Randomized PRE+ testosterone vs testosterone only

[2 groups]

33

0%

80%

30

3/33 (9%)

Shevitz (2005) [43]

Randomized combined PRE+ nutrition + oxandrolone vs nutrition + oxandrolone vs nutrition alone

[3 groups]

50 (with wasting)

30%

80%

47

3/50 (6%)

Spence (1990) [44]

Randomized PRE vs no exercise (control)

[2 groups]

24

0%

100% taking AZT

NR

Unknown

Tiozzo (2011) [33]^{a, b}

Randomized constant AER + PRE vs no exercise (control) [2 groups]

37

39%

100%

23

14/37 (38%)

Yarasheski (2011) [34]^{a, b}

Randomized constant AER+ PRE+ pioglitazone vs pioglitazone only

[2 groups]

44 (with insulin resistance, impaired glucose intolerance and central adiposity)

13%

100%

39

5/44 (11%)