Combined aerobic and resistance exercise training decreases peripheral but not central artery wall thickness in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

Schreuder, Tim; Munckhof, Inge; Poelkens, Fleur; Hopman, Maria; Thijssen, Dick

Objective: Little is known about the impact of exercise training on conduit artery wall thickness in type 2 diabetes. We examined the local and systemic impact of exercise training on superficial femoral (SFA), brachial (BA), and carotid artery (CA) wall thickness in type 2 diabetes patients and controls. Methods: Twenty patients with type 2 diabetes and 10 age- and sex-matched controls performed an 8-week training study involving lower limb-based combined aerobic and resistance exercise training. We examined the SFA to study the local effect of exercise, and also the systemic impact of lower limb-based exercise training on peripheral (i.e. BA) and central (i.e. CA) arteries. Wall thickness (WT), diameter and wall:lumen(W:L)-ratios were examined using automated edge detection of ultrasound images. Results: Exercise training did not alter SFA or CA diameter in type 2 diabetes or controls (all P > 0.05). BA diameter was increased after training in type 2 diabetes, but not in controls. Exercise training decreased WT and W:L ratio in the SFA and BA, but not in CA in type 2 diabetes. Training did not alter WT or W:L ratio in controls ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: Lower limb-dominant exercise training causes remodelling of peripheral arteries, supplying active and inactive vascular beds, but not central arteries in type 2 diabetes.

EXERCISE physiology; PHYSIOLOGICAL aspects of aerobic exercises; ISOMETRIC exercise; CAROTID artery; FEMORAL artery; BRACHIAL artery; TYPE 2 diabetes; PHYSIOLOGY

European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2015, Vol 115, Issue 2, p317

1439-6319

Academic Journal

10.1007/s00421-014-3016-5