title: Mechanical properties of achilles tendon in rats induced to experimental diabetes.
abstract: The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of chemically induced diabetes mellitus (DM) on the mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon of rats and correlate it with metabolic and biomechanical findings. Adult rats were selected randomly and assigned to two groups, the diabetic group consisted of animals receiving a dose of streptozotocin to induce type I diabetes and the control group. The animals were placed in metabolic cages for analysis of metabolism. Ten weeks after diabetes induction, the Achilles tendon of both groups were collected and submitted to a traction test in a conventional testing machine. The measurements of mechanical properties indicated that the elastic modulus (MPa) was significantly higher in the control group (p < 0.01). In Maximum tension (MPa), the groups did not have differences (p > 0.01). Energy/tendon area (N mm/mm²), specific strain (%) and maximum specific strain (mm) were higher in tendon tests of the diabetic group (p < 0.01). We observed that the mechanical properties of tendons have correlations with metabolic properties of the diabetic animals. These results showed that induced DM in rats have an important negative effect on the mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon.
authors.affiliation: Master Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE, Recife, Brazil. rodrigo@ufc.br
authors.forename: Rodrigo Ribeiro
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Kamilla Dinah Santos
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: de Lira
authors.forename: Patrícia Verçoza de Castro
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Marcos Paulo Galdino
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.forename: Marcela Nicácio
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Magno Felipe Holanda Barboza Inácio
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Silvia Regina Arruda
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: de Moraes
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar