Exercise training lowers plasma visfatin concentrations in patients with type 1 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Exercise training exerts beneficial effects on metabolic and vascular risk factors in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). It is unknown whether training also influences concentrations of visfatin, a novel insulin-mimetic adipocytokine.


OBJECTIVE
In this study, we have investigated whether plasma visfatin concentrations are altered by training in patients with T1DM.


METHODS
Fasting plasma visfatin concentrations and metabolic parameters were measured in 18 patients with T1DM who participated in a supervised aerobic exercise program for 4 months. Three subjects discontinued training prematurely after 2 months. Samples were obtained before and during training and 8 months after the end of regular exercise. Fourteen healthy young subjects served as controls.


RESULTS
At baseline, patients with T1DM had higher visfatin concentrations than controls (64.1 +/- 12.0 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.0 ng/ml, P < 0.01). Exercise reduced visfatin after 2 and 4 months to 27.8 +/- 2.6 (n = 18) and 17.5 +/- 3.4 ng/ml (n = 15), respectively (P < 0.001 for n = 15 subjects who participated in all visits, ANOVA). This effect was maintained 8 months after cessation of training, with visfatin concentrations of 19.7 +/- 5.0 ng/ml (n = 15). Metabolic parameters were not affected by the training program.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated visfatin concentrations in patients with T1DM can be lowered by regular physical exercise. It is unknown whether glucose tolerance is affected by changes in visfatin concentrations.
Haider
Dominik G
DG
Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
Pleiner
Johannes
J
Francesconi
Mario
M
Wiesinger
Günther F
GF
Müller
Markus
M
Wolzt
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase
D001786:Blood Glucose; D016207:Cytokines; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human