Relationship of Exercise, Sleep, and Inflammation Markers in People Living With HIV

An estimated 50% of people living with HIV (PWH) in the United States are 50 years and older. Although HIV antiretroviral therapy is effective, older PWH are diagnosed with comorbidities at an earlier age, which contributes to poorer health outcomes, including poor sleep quality. Sleep quality is a modifiable behavior in PWH. Higher levels of specific systemic inflammation markers are associated with poor sleep quality in the general population as well as PWH. Less physical activity is also associated with increased inflammation. The collective or interacting impact of low levels of physical activity and inflammation on poor sleep quality may be stronger than either independent factor; therefore, it is vital to examine the potentially causal pathway between physical activity, sleep, and inflammation in order to help mitigate poor sleep quality. HIIT is safe and has higher efficacy in improving health outcomes compared to CME in those with chronic illness (i.e., coronary artery disease, diabetes), yet little is known about the effects of HIIT on sleep in people living with HIV. The primary outcome measures include: change in sleep quality and patterns of sleep from week 0 to 16 of the intervention and change in inflammation markers from week 0 to 8 and week 0 to 16 of the intervention. Our primary sleep quality outcomes will be the sleep fragmentation index, sleep efficiency, and mean sleep duration for sleep quantity. All three will be based on actigraphy. The primary inflammation markers of interest are interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-13, IFN-y, C reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α due to prior association with sleep quality, other inflammation markers, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8 and IL-12p70 will be exploratory to identify potential pathways of sleep impairments.

Inclusion criteria

• confirmed HIV infection
• sedentary lifestyle, defined as self-reported physical activity that breaks a sweat <3 days/week, with no regular resistance exercise for 3 months prior to the study
• on a current, modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) (anti-retroviral regimen)
• documented HIV-1 RNA <200 copies/mL in the past 12 months
• willing to engage in a supervised exercise program 3 times/week for 16 weeks
• poor sleep quality based on self-report survey (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, total score >5)
• aged ≥ 50 years
• English speaking

Exclusion criteria

• not controlled hypertension-defined as resting systolic blood pressure >150 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure >90 mmHg; participants who do not meet these criteria at first screening will be re-evaluated, including follow-up evaluation by their primary care provider with initiation or adjustment of anti-hypertensive medications
• Indicators of unstable ischemic heart disease (e.g., angina) or serious arrhythmias-at rest or during the graded exercise test without negative follow-up evaluation will be cause for exclusion; follow-up evaluation must include diagnostic testing (e.g., thallium stress test) with interpretation by a cardiologist
• New York Heart Association Class III or IV congestive heart failure, clinically significant aortic stenosis, uncontrolled angina, or uncontrolled arrhythmia
• Pulmonary disease-requiring the use of supplemental oxygen at rest or with physical exertion