Cardiovascular Responses to Exercise in People Living With HIV/AIDS: Effects of Exercise Training

March 23, 2026 updated by: Juliana Pereira Borges, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia de Laranjeiras

Autonomic and Hemodynamic Responses to Muscular Ergoreflex Activation in People Living With HIV/AIDS: Effects of Exercise Training.

Patients living with HIV (PLWHIV) have compromised muscle metaboreflex, which can cause exercise intolerance. This randomized controlled clinical trial will verify the effects of regular exercise on autonomic and hemodynamic responses to muscle ergoreflex activation in these patients. PLWHIV without regular physical exercise will be randomly assigned into an exercise training or a control group. The exercise training group will undergo regular physical exercise during 12 weeks (60-min session performed 3 times/wk with moderate intensity), while the control group will keep inactive. Another group consisted of inactive HIV-uninfected group will be included. The primary endpoints will be blood pressure and autonomic markers in response to the Stroop Color-Word Test and the activation of muscle ergoreflex, by means of the post-exercise circulatory arrest (PECA), which will be performed with and without the topical application of a capsaicin-based analgesic balm. Secondary endpoints will include heart rate, peripheral vascular resistance, stroke volume, cardiac output, blood lactate concentration, anthropometrics, and handgrip strength. The active and inactive PLWHIV groups will be evaluated before and after the exercise training, while the healthy group only at baseline.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

HIV-infection is associated to a reduced maximal cardiac output and blunted pressor reflex response to static handgrip exercise, which are suggestive of impaired ergoreflex activation. An abnormal ergoreflex activation may lead to exercise intolerance and increases in cardiovascular risk. Despite the importance of therapeutic strategies in reducing the cardiovascular risk among patients living with HIV, exercise-related effects on ergoreflex sensitivity in these population have not been previously investigated.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
63

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Brazil
    • Rio de Janeiro
      • Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 20550-900
        • Recruiting
        • Rio de Janeiro State University
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

30 years to 50 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria for people living with HIV:

  • diagnosis of HIv infection for at least 5 years;
  • use of combined antiretroviral therapy for at least 3 years;
  • asymptomatic and free from opportunistic diseases at enrollment.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • regular physical exercise;
  • malnutrition;
  • presence of coronary artery disease, ischemic diseases, pulmonary disease, diabetes, Chagas disease, tuberculosis, heart failure, hypertension;
  • using pacemakers and/or antidepressant, antiarrhythmic or antihypertensive medication, especially beta-blockers.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Active HIV-infected patients
Exercise training
Behavioral: Exercise training
Exercise training performed during 12 weeks, 3 sessions per week of 60 minutes of strength and aerobic exercises.
No Intervention: Inactive HIV-infected patients
No intervention.
No Intervention: Healthy subjects
No intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline Blood Pressure at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Blood pressure will be assessed by a digital sphygmomanometer.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Change from Baseline Heart Rate Variability at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Heart rate variability will be assessed by a heart rate monitor.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from Baseline Heart Rate at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Heart rate will be evaluated beat-to-beat by means of a heart rate monitor.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Change from Baseline Peripheral Vascular Resistance at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Peripheral Vascular Resistance will be evaluated by photpletismography.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Change from Baseline Stroke Volume at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Stroke Volume will be evaluated by photoplethysmography.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Change from Baseline Cardiac Output at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Cardiac Output will be evaluated by photoplethysmography.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up
Change from Baseline Blood Lactate at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up.
Blood Lactate will be determined by the YSL 2700 analyzer.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up.
Change from Baseline Anthropometric markers at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up.
Anthropometric markers will be determined by a digital scale and wall-mounted stadiometer.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up.
Change from Baseline handgrip maximal voluntary contraction at 3 months
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 months of follow-up.
Handgrip maximal voluntary contraction will be assessed using a hydraulic handgrip dynamometer.
Baseline and 3 months of follow-up.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia de Laranjeiras

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Rio de Janeiro State University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Julana P Borges, Dr, Rio de Janeiro State University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
August 7, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 12, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
August 13, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 23, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • FAPERJ E-26/010.100935/2018

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings