The effects of a single bout of submaximal exercise on rheological properties of the blood in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a single bout of submaximal exercise on rheological properties of the blood children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy controls. Material and methods. The study included 18 children in the age before puberty, with type 1 diabetes, both newly diagnosed (Group 1, n = 11) and with the diagnosis established at least five years earlier (Group 2, n = 7). Group 3 (n = 11) was comprised of age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Children from all the groups were subjected to progressive submaximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Prior to the exercise and after the test, rheological parameters of peripheral blood erythrocytes: elongation index (EI), amplitude of aggregation (AMP), half time of total aggregation (T 1/2 ) and aggregation index (AI) were determined. Results. No significant differences were found between the pre- and post-exercise values of erythrocyte aggregability measures (AI, T 1/2 and AMP) and EI values at 0.30–59.07 Pa for any of the study groups. Conclusions. These results suggest that a single bout of physical exercise exerts no unfavorable effect on erythrocyte rheology in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Also time elapsed since the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus does not influence rheological properties of the blood.