qi gong
regular exercise: Researchers determined that moderate physical activity may slow HIV disease progression by studying 415 individuals as part of a cohort study of 851 homosexual men. Exercise was defined as self-report of exercising 3-4 times/week or daily at entry; less was considered nonexercise. The study found that exercising 3-4 times/week had a more protective effect than daily exercise and that exercisers in the HIV positive group showed an increase in CD4 count.
(Mustafa T, et al. Ann Epidemiol 1999 Feb;9(2):127-131. )
hydrotherapy
constitutional hydrotherapy
fever treatment
Hyperthermia
Body temperature was raised by removing 350 ml of blood at a time and heating it, then re-introducing the heated blood until core temperature rose to either 108° F; clinically significant changes in blood chemistry were noted (rise in CPK, SGPT, BUN); however, larger controlled trial yielded less positive findings. (Ash, et al, 1996)
manipulation
electrical and oscillating
footnotes
Ash, S, et al. Paper submitted to J. AIDS and HIV, 1996.
Abstract: Study with six patients with CD4 < 100, randomized to two extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia treatment groups: 102°: and 108° F. Body temperature was raised by removing 350 ml of blood at a time and heating it, then re-introducing the heated blood until core temperature rose to either 102°: or 108°: F. The effects of one treatment which lasted one hour was tracked for 8 weeks. CD4, p24 antigen and 132 microglobulin were tracked weekly. All markers improved in patients receiving the 108° F treatment, but the effect faded after two months. While there were no detectable toxic effects at 102° no treatment effects were seen either. At 108° F, however, clinically significant changes in blood chemistry were noted (rise in CPK, SGPT, BUN). A larger controlled trial with 30 patients with average CD4 count of 120 have yielded less positive findings: no change in CD4 and elevations in viral load at 3 months relative to an untreated control group.
Mustafa T, Sy FS, Macera CA, Thompson SJ, Jackson KL, Selassie A, Dean LL. Association between exercise and HIV disease progression in a cohort of homosexual men. Ann Epidemiol 1999 Feb;9(2):127-131.
Abstract: PURPOSE: To study the relationship between exercise and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression. METHODS: 415 individuals (156 HIV positive, 259 HIV negative), from a cohort study of
851 homosexual men from New York City, 1985-1991. By 1991, 68 of the 156 persons developed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and 49 died with AIDS. Exercise was defined as self-report of exercising 3-4 times/week or daily at entry; less was considered nonexercise. CD4 lymphocyte decline was constructed for each subject
by modeling log CD4 count against time in days. The association between exercise and progression to AIDS and death with AIDS, adjusting for baseline CD4 count, was determined using Cox model. Linear regression was used to model CD4 decline with exercise for HIV positive and HIV negative groups separately, adjusting for initial CD4 count. RESULTS: Having exercised was associated with slower progression to AIDS at 1 year (HR = 0.68, 90%
confidence interval (CI): 0.4-1.17); hazard ratios (HR) at 2, 3, and 4 years were 0.96, 1.18, and 1.36, respectively. Having exercised was also associated with slower progression to death with AIDS at 1 year (HR = 0.37, 90% CI: 0.14-0.94) with hazard ratios at 2, 3, and 4 years of 0.68, 0.98, and 1.27, respectively, suggesting a protective effect close to the time exercise was assessed, but an increased risk after 2 years. Exercising 3-4 times/week had a more protective effect than daily exercise. Exercisers in the HIV positive group showed an increase in CD4 count during a year by a factor of 1.07. CONCLUSION: Moderate physical activity may slow HIV disease progression.