Aerobic Exercise Improves Quality of Life and CD4 Cell Counts in HIV Seropositives in Nigeria

BACKGROUND:Studies that examine the effectiveness of exercise on quality of life and CD4 cells of HIV population are not easily available in developing countries. PURPOSE:This study was therefore aimed at investigating the effect of 12 weeks aerobic exercise on quality of life and CD4 cells of HIV seropositives in Nigeria. METHODS:Using convenient sampling, 91 volunteer and willing HIV infected persons were enrolled in the study. Based on inclusion criteria, 82 were eligible for the study, and randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. After determining the baseline values of the variables, the experimental group participated in moderate intensity aerobic exercise for 12 weeks. Weekly lectures were organized for the control group. Attrition rate of 22% was recorded at the end the study, leaving 32 participants in each group. The variables were re-assessed at the end of the Descriptive statistic summarized the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Paired Student t-test and Student t-test for two independent samples analyzed the significant difference in mean values of the variables. RESULTS:Mean ages in years of the control and experimental groups were39.38 10.03 and 40.84 ± 10.05 respectively, and that of the 64 participants was 39.57±10.13. There was significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the variables between pre- and post-tests in the experimental group. There was insignificant change (p > 0.05) in the four domains of quality of life of the participants, and significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the other four domains of this variable between pre- and post-tests in the control group, in CD4 cell counts, significant improvement was recorded. The variables at the end of the study showed significant difference (p < 0.05) between both groups. CONCLUSION:Quality of life and CD4 cells of HIV seropositives in the experimental group improved significantly after 12 weeks moderate intensity aerobic exercise.