Exercise therapy for human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS patients: Guidelines for clinical exercise therapists

Area of Science:

• Exercise physiology
• Infectious diseases
• Public health

Background:

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection has led to millions of deaths globally.
• Antiretroviral therapy has chronicized HIV, increasing life expectancy but also comorbidities.
• Exercise offers benefits for HIV/AIDS patients, yet optimal prescription guidelines are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on exercise for HIV patients.
• To identify gaps in knowledge regarding optimal exercise parameters (mode, intensity, frequency, duration).
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for exercise prescription across different clinical stages of HIV.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of multiple databases (Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, etc.) from 2000 to January 2014.
• Inclusion of published and unpublished studies, abstracts, and reference lists.
• Methodological quality assessment of identified studies.

Main Results:

• 33 studies met the inclusion criteria.
• Most studies did not specify optimal exercise type, intensity, frequency, or duration for different HIV stages.
• Significant lack of detailed, stage-specific exercise guidance for HIV-infected individuals.

Conclusions:

• Current exercise guidelines for HIV patients are inadequate.
• There is a need for evidence-based recommendations tailored to clinical stages of HIV.
• Clinical exercise therapists require practical guidance for prescribing exercise to optimize outcomes for people living with HIV.