HIV/AIDS consequents in disability and mortality including muscle wasting and weakness, fatigue, impaired functional and work capacity, depression, and decreased quality of life. The mechanism explaining the relationship between exercise capacity and Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) is still obscure. This study investigated the relationship between the exercise capacity and HRQoL of PLWH and apparently healthy controls.

This quasi-experimental study involved 74 participants (37 PLWH and 37 age and sex match controls). HRQoL was assessed using the SF-12 questionnaire. Exercise capacity was assessed using the Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and expressed in terms of Six Minute Walk Distance (6MWD), Six Minute Walk Work (6MWW), Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂ max) and Metabolic Equivalents (METS).  Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) were measured before and after the 6MWT following standardized procedure. Rate pressure product (RPP) was also calculated. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean and inferential statistics of paired and unpaired t-test, and Pearson’s product moment correlation. Alpha level was set at 0.05.

The result showed that PLWH had significantly lowered pre-walk DBP and post-walk DBP than healthy control (p<0.05). The 6MWD, 6MWW, VO₂max and METS were significantly lower for PLWH (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the physical health composite (PCS) of HRQoL of the PLWH and the controls (p=0.782). However, the mental health composite (MCS) of the PLWH was higher than that of the controls (p=0.040). There was no significant correlation between the PCS and MCS of the HRQoL and the 6MWD, 6MWW, VO₂ max and METS for the PLWH and the control group.

In conclusion, exercise capacity is reduced in PLWH. Physical health composite of HRQoL of PLWH in clinical stage I and healthy controls is comparable. However, PLWH had higher mental health composite of HRQoL than the controls. Furthermore, exercise capacity and HRQoL of PLWH are not inter-dependent.