Acute response of blood glucose to short-term exercise training in patients with type 2 diabetes.

It is unclear whether the glucose lowering effects of an exercise session are augmented by training. Therefore, we sought to assess the effects of a four-week exercise training program on the acute response of blood glucose to a single exercise session in patients with T2DM. A Quasi experimental design was used. Thirty-four patients with T2DM (18 males) completed a four-week exercise regime consisting of two 1-h supervised sessions and one 30 min unsupervised home session per week. The sessions contained cardiorespiratory and resistance exercises. Blood glucose was measured prior to and after each training session. Resting heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), body composition, lipid profile and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) were determined before and after the four week training program. Decreases in blood glucose (pre to post exercise session) over the four weeks were (mean±SD); week 1: 13.3±18.6%, week 2: 19.7±18.5%, week 3: 18.1±20.8%, week 4: 22.8±17.9%. General linear modelling with repeated measures ANCOVA showed that there was a significant (p<0.01) time effect over this period. Additionally, there were small, but significant decreases in resting heart rate (-6.6±10.3 bpm, p=0.001), systolic blood pressure (-5.6±14.9 mmHg, p=0.043) and fat mass (-1.6±3.2%, p=0.024) and an increase in VO(2max) (1.6±3.7 ml/kg/min, p=0.025) over the four weeks. Four weeks of exercise training augments the exercise-induced decrease in blood glucose that occurs in a single exercise session.

Determinants of changes in blood glucose response to short-term exercise training in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of a 4-week exercise training intervention on blood glucose, insulin sensitivity, BMI (body mass index) and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with Type 2 diabetes, and to identify and establish criteria for patients who are more likely to improve their blood glucose from short-term exercise training. A randomized, controlled trial of exercise training, comprising two supervised and one non-supervised sessions of individualized cardiorespiratory and resistance exercise per week, was performed in 132 healthy patients with Type 2 diabetes (exercise training group, n=68), with the aim of accumulating a minimum of 150 min of moderate-intensity exercise for 4 weeks. BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood lipid profile, blood glucose, insulin, insulin sensitivity [calculated by HOMA(IR) (homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) and QUICKI (quantitative insulin check index)], beta-cell function (calculated by HOMA(beta-Cell)), HbA(1c) (glycated haemoglobin) and VO(2max) (maximal oxygen consumption) were measured at baseline and at 4 weeks. The exercise training group had significant improvements in VO(2max), BMI and triacylglycerols (triglycerides). There were no significant changes in blood glucose, HOMA(IR), QUICKI or HOMA(beta-Cell). Decreases in blood glucose were significantly predicted by baseline blood glucose and HbA(1c), with these variables accounting for 15.9% of the change in blood glucose (P<0.001). ROC (receiver operator characteristic) curve analysis revealed that patients with a blood glucose >8.85 mmol/l (sensitivity=73%, specificity=78%) and HbA(1c) >7.15% (sensitivity=79%, specificity=60%) were more likely to achieve a clinically significant decrease in blood glucose. In conclusion, in apparently healthy patients with Type 2 diabetes, a 4-week exercise intervention improved cardiorespiratory fitness, BMI and triacylglycerols. Elevated blood glucose and HbA(1c) predicted improvements in blood glucose.