Effects of Exercise Training and Statin Use in People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus with Dyslipidemia.

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of the combination of exercise training (ET) and statins in people living with human immunodeficiency virus.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eighty-three people living with human immunodeficiency virus were assigned to either placebo (PL), statins (STA), PL + ET (PLET) or STA + ET (STAET) groups. Volunteers assigned to STA and STAET groups were administered 10 mg of rosuvastatin, whereas the PL and PLET groups were administered a placebo. The PLET and STAET groups performed ET three times a week. Before and after the 12-wk follow-up, the volunteers underwent to anthropometric assessment and blood collection to evaluate lipid profile, cardiovascular markers, inflammatory profile; a Doppler ultrasound examination, muscle strength (MS) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CF) tests were performed.

Results: There was a decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, interleukin (IL)-1β and right carotid intima-media thickness in the STA, PLET, and STAET groups compared with PL group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a decrease in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 levels and in left and right carotid intima-media thickness and an increase in HDL-c levels in the STAET groups compared with the STA (P ≤ 0.001) and PLET groups (P ≤ 0.001). There was an increase in IL-10 levels, peak-systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, wall shear rate in the PLET and STAET groups compared with the PL (P ≤ 0.001) and STA groups (P ≤ 0.001). The PLET and STAET groups reduced body fat mass, body fat percentage and increased lean body mass, MS and CF compared with PL (P ≤ 0.001) and STA (P ≤ 0.001) groups.

Conclusions: The combination of ET and statins is useful to enhance lipid and inflammatory profiles, reduce cardiovascular disease markers, and improve Doppler ultrasound findings, MS and CF in people living with HIV.