Device-measured physical activity behaviours, and physical function, in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and peripheral artery disease: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

AimTo quantify differences in device-measured physical activity (PA) behaviours, and physical function (PF), in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with and without peripheral artery disease (PAD). Materials and methodsParticipants from the Chronotype of Patients with T2DM and Effect on Glycaemic Control cross-sectional study wore accelerometers on their non-dominant wrist for up to 8-days to quantify: volume and intensity distribution of PA, time spent inactive, time in light PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA in at least 1-minute bouts (MVPA1min), and the average intensity achieved during the most active continuous 2, 5, 10, 30, and 60-minute periods of the 24-h day. PF was assessed using the short physical performance battery (SPPB), the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), sit-to-stand repetitions in 60 s (STS-60); hand-grip strength was also assessed. Differences between subjects with and without PAD were estimated using regressions adjusted for possible confounders. Results736 participants with T2DM (without diabetic foot ulcers) were included in the analysis, 689 had no PAD. People with T2DM and PAD undertake less PA (MVPA1min: −9.2 min [95 % CI: −15.3 to −3.0; p = 0.004]) (light intensity PA: −18.7 min [−36.4 to −1.0; p = 0.039]), spend more time inactive (49.2 min [12.1 to 86.2; p = 0.009]), and have reduced PF (SPPB score: −1.6 [−2.5 to −0.8; p = 0.001]) (DASI score: −14.8 [−19.8 to −9.8; p = 0.001]) (STS-60 repetitions: −7.1 [−10.5 to −3.8; p = 0.001]) compared to people without; some differences in PA were attenuated by confounders. Reduced intensity of activity for the most active continuous 2–30 min in the 24-h day, and reduced PF, persisted after accounting for confounders. There were no significant differences in hand-grip strength. ConclusionsFindings from this cross-sectional study suggest that, the presence of PAD in T2DM may have been associated with lower PA levels and PF.