Abstract
<p>The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic remains a top national health priority. Chronic inflammation may be a critical component in the disease course of HIV as C-reactive protein (CRP) is elevated and associated with increased mortality. This study examined the effect of three months of combined aerobic and resistance exercise training among a diverse cohort of HIV-infected men and women. The fixed effect of time for CRP was found to be non-significant (F[1,57.3]=1.7, p=0.19). There was a significant fixed effect for time for upper body (F[1,51.6]=18.1, p<0.05) and lower body strength (F[1,48.0]=15.7, p<0.05) and significant declines in diastolic blood pressure (p=0.002) and waist circumference (p=0.027). Though levels of CRP were not impacted after three months training, participants demonstrated a significant increase in muscular strength as well as beneficial changes in metabolic risk factors. Future studies should focus on determining the optimal exercise intervention length and mode to reduce inflammation.</p>