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

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/μI. Mean entry maximal oxygen consumption (VO_2max) was 41 ml'kg_1min-1for 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.