Impact of a community-based exercise program on pulmonary function in middle-age and older patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes is associated with impaired pulmonary function due to its micro and macroangiopathic complications. Regular exercise is known to improve lung function.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the impact of a long-term community-based exercise program on pulmonary function in patients with T2D.

Methods: This was an observational longitudinal study. Participants were 40 middle-age and older patients (26 female; 63.58 ± 6.85 years) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) engaged in Diabetes em Movimento, a community-based exercise program developed in Portugal (NCT02631902). This 8-month program comprised 3-weekly 75-min supervised exercise sessions (with combined aerobic, resistance, agility/balance, and flexibility exercises).

Pulmonary function was assessed through spirometry, with evaluations of PEF, FEV1, FVC, ratio FEV1/FVC and MEF 25/75, according with ATS/ERS criteria, before and after the exercise program.

Results: A total of 98 exercise sessions were held, with an adherence of 64.82 ± 20.36 % and an exercise intensity of 12.68 ± 1.08 points in Borg’s rate of perceived exertion scale (6-20 points).

Significant improvements were identified in PEF (10.70 %; p = 0.005). Other relevant changes were observed in FEV1 (2.58 %; p = 0.336), FEV1/FVC (1.80 %; p= 0.226), and in MEF25/75 (5.30 %; p = 0.221). Pulmonary function changes were independent of gender, age and changes in body mass index (evaluated through simple linear regression models).

Conclusions: A long-term community-based exercise program led to important improvements on pulmonary function in type 2 Diabetes patients, suggesting to be a good rehabilitation tool for this population.