Strength Training and Endurance Exercise for LIFE (STEEL)

April 2, 2026 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

Effect of Exercise Training on Inflammation and Function in HIV Infected Veterans

Research is needed to determine safe and effective exercise rehabilitation programs to prevent and improve physical disability in older adults living with HIV. This problem is of great importance to the VA. The majority of the 25 thousand HIV-infected veterans are over 50 years of age (64%). The combined effect of aging and inflammation increase the risk for physical disability in older HIV-infected veterans. This translational exercise training trial will examine the cardiac and skeletal muscle effects of combined aerobic exercise and resistance training to attenuate the functional declines of aging with HIV by reducing the deleterious consequences of chronic inflammation. Findings will guide future rehabilitation research on cardiac remodeling and inflammation of skeletal muscle. The proposed research will advance the goal to develop effective rehabilitation strategies that improve the health of older HIV-infected veterans.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of exercise training on the central (cardiovascular) and peripheral (muscular) impairments underlying poor physical function by comparing older HIV-infected veterans randomized to combine aerobic and resistance exercise training versus usual care. The study hypothesis is that a progressive aerobic and resistance rehabilitation program will increase aerobic capacity and muscle strength, which will be mediated by improved diastolic function, increased muscle mass, and decreased systemic inflammation. To test this hypothesis, investigators will conduct a randomized 16-week trial of progressive aerobic and resistance training versus usual care control in 40 sedentary older (50+ years) HIV-infected veterans. The study will determine the effects of exercise training on aerobic capacity and diastolic function, and their relationship to changes in biomarkers of systemic inflammation and cardiac fibrosis (AIM 1). The study will also determine the effect of exercise training on strength and muscle mass, and their relationship to changes in biomarkers of systemic inflammation (AIM 2).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

33

Phase

  • 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 Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201
        • Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
    • Virginia
      • Salem, Virginia, United States, 24153-6404
        • Salem VA Medical Center, Salem, VA

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

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • HIV-infected veterans adult 50 years of age and older under medical care for HIV
  • Antiretroviral Therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with comorbid conditions that could have a potential impact on their ability to perform exercise testing and training will be excluded according to the American College of Sports Medicine
  • Only sedentary adults will be eligible. Individuals that participate in regular structured aerobic exercise or resistance training in the prior 6-months will be excluded

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: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: exercise
16-week progressive aerobic and resistance exercise training
Other: exercise
16-week progressive aerobic and resistance exercise training
No Intervention: control
usual care controls

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Aerobic Capacity
Time Frame: at baseline and at 16 weeks (before and after the intervention phase)

VO2 peak will be used as the primary measure of aerobic capacity. Subjects will be asked to exercise to voluntary exhaustion during a treadmill test using a modified Bruce protocol.

In this Outcome, a mean difference between baseline to 16 weeks is reported (value at 16 weeks minus value at baseline).
at baseline and at 16 weeks (before and after the intervention phase)
Diastolic Function
Time Frame: at baseline and at 16 weeks (before and after the intervention phase)

Exercise stress two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography with tissue Doppler imaging (stress-echo) will be used to collect data on diastolic function. Reporting on ejection fraction.

In this Outcome, a mean difference between baseline to 16 weeks is reported (value at 16 weeks minus value at baseline).
at baseline and at 16 weeks (before and after the intervention phase)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Biomarkers of Systemic Inflammation
Time Frame: at baseline and at 16 weeks (before and after the intervention phase)

Changes in plasma levels of biomarkers of chronic inflammation will be calculated pre/post intervention, and will be tested for association with changes in primary outcomes as well as between group differences. Presenting IL-18 values (log converted for analysis).

In this Outcome, a mean difference between baseline to 16 weeks is reported (value at 16 weeks minus value at baseline).
at baseline and at 16 weeks (before and after the intervention phase)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kris Ann K Oursler, MD, Salem VA Medical Center, Salem, VA

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)

September 15, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 4, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

October 4, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 18, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 27, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

April 1, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 2, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • O0667-R

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.

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