Gym-based aerobic exercise with bicycle ergometer contributes to the regression of human papilloma virus infection: a single-center, single-blind and randomized controlled trial

Abstract

The regression of human papilloma virus is multifactorial and could be possibly targeted by using life-mode form of intervention. The purpose of this trial is to clarify the effect of aerobic exercise on the regression in outpatients firstly diagnosed with human papilloma virus(HPV) infection. Patients were randomly allocated into exercise group (Arm A) and control group (Arm B). Patients in Arm A received the 45-minute aerobic exercise thrice per week using the bicycle ergometer at gym. Patients in Arm B received their usual care at home. The physical exercise spanned a period of 6 weeks. The characteristics at baseline were documented and HPV specimens were tested at initiation, three months and six months after project launching. The primary endpoint was current HPV infection incidents as well as stratified by age at 3-months and 6-months. The secondary endpoint was newly diagnosed HPV incidents.In total, 125 patients in arm A and 136 patients in arm B were enrolled. The mean follow-up period was 7.5 ± 1.5 months (range 6.0–9.2). Post physical training, no significant difference of HPV 16/18 in groups was observed at 3-months or 6-months. As to current rate, physical exercise was superior to the patients with non-16/18 high-risk human papilloma virus(HR-HPV) infections at 6-months (p = 0.01). Stratified by age, the strength was still strong regarding age span of 18–25 years, 30–35 years, 35–45 years (p = 0.02, p = 0.04, p = 0.01, respectively). Additionally, the newly diagnosed HPV infection (HPV16/18 excluded) significantly decreased from 29 (21.3%) in Arm B to 14 (11.2%) in Arm A (p = 0.02). The current trail indicates that the 6-week aerobic exercise positively affects the regression of HPV infection, especially regarding the non-16/18 HPV infection.