Effects of Short-Term Lifestyle and Exercise Intervention on Total Arterial Compliance in Healthy Patients with Type II Diabetes

Abstract

Background: The unifying feature of cardiovascular (CV) complications of type-II diabetes (DM), including LV dysfunction and vascular disease, may be abnormal total arterial compliance (TAC). We sought the effect of an intense lifestyle intervention of dietary counselling and exercise training on TAC.Methods: We randomised 205 patients with DM (112 men; age 55 ± 9) with no known CV disease to usual care (101) or intervention (104), which comprised of dietary monitoring and a combination of monitored aerobic and strength exercises three times a 1 week for 4 weeks. TAC was determined by the pulse-pressure method from simultaneous applanation tonometry and pulsed wave Doppler of the LVOT by echocardiography. Clinical data, risks factors and TAC were then compared for baseline and follow-up.Results: Patients had an average of 2 ± 1 CV risk factors and blood pressure, cardiac output (CO), and TAC were all within normal limits. There were no baseline differences between the groups in age, gender, or any clinical or haemodynamic variable. However, there were minor but insignificant changes in BP (129/81 vs. 132/81; 131/79 vs. 133/81; p = NS), CO (4.9 ± 1.25 vs. 4.9 ± 1.25; 5.06 ± 1.3 vs. 5.12 ± 1.2; p = NS) and TAC (1.35 ± 0.52 vs. 1.32 ± 0.64; 1.28 ± 0.47 vs. 1.30 ± 0.54; p = NS) at follow-up. In a multiple linear regression age (β = −0.31; p < .0001), gender (β = 0.18; p < 0.01) and weight (β = 0.28; p < .0001) were independent correlates of TAC (model R = 0.53; p < 0.0001).Conclusions: In healthy patients with Type II DM, short-term diet and exercise intervention does not appear to alter arterial compliance or haemodynamics. Longer-term data are needed to determine if this is a worthwhile intervention in this patient population.Copyright © 2007 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of The Australasian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons and The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand