Acute Effects of Resistance Exercise in Depressed Black/African American People Living with HIV

Abstract

In the US, Blacks/African Americans (AA) comprise the largest proportion of People Living with HIV (PLWH). Depressive symptoms and fatigue are highly prevalent among PLWH. Depressive symptoms are linked to progression of HIV disease, and fatigue is linked to severity of depressive symptoms. Resistance exercise (RE) is shown to have psychological benefits in non-HIV depressed populations, and these benefits are hypothesized to be intensity-dependent. To date, no study has examined the use of a single bout of RE for management of affect and fatigue with depressed PLWH. PURPOSE: To test the acute effects of RE intensity on affect, arousal, and distress among sedentary AA PLWH who screen positive for depression. METHODS: Twenty-five men and 17 women ages 24-66 (47.5±11.2) with a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score of ≥10 completed a battery of questionnaires and 10 repetition maximum (10RM) muscular strength tests. Participants were randomized into: moderate intensity RE (MRE) (i.e., 70% of 10RM), n=21, or vigorous intensity RE (VRE) (i.e., 100% of 10RM), n=21. They had to complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions for 5 exercises. Affect, arousal, and distress were measured with the Feeling Scale, Felt Arousal Scale, and Subjective Units of Distress Scale, respectively. Measures were administered at PRE, MID, POST, at 15-minute DELAY, and at 30-minute DELAY. Changes were analyzed using ANOVAs, with Bonferroni adjustments. RESULTS: There were significant group x time interactions for affect (p<.05), and distress (p<.01), and main effect of time for arousal (p<.01). With MRE, affect improved PRE to POST (p<.01), PRE to DELAY15 (p<.01), and PRE to DELAY30 (p<.01), and arousal increased PRE to MID, and PRE to POST (p’s<.01). In addition, distress reduced PRE to all time points (p’s<.01). With VRE, affect decreased PRE to MID (p<.01), while arousal increased PRE to MID, and PRE to POST (p’s<.01). In addition, distress reduced PRE to Delay15 (p<.01), and PRE to DELAY30 (p<.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that an acute bout of MRE is more effective than VRE in improving affect, increasing energy, and reducing distress in depressed AA PLWH. However, VRE also appears to have distress-reducing benefits. These findings should be considered when prescribing exercise for symptom management in this population.