title: Influence of physical activity and gender on arterial function in type 2 diabetes, normal and impaired glucose tolerance.
abstract: To determine whether Nordic walking improves cardiovascular function in middle-aged women and men, we included 121 with normal glucose tolerance, 33 with impaired glucose tolerance and 47 with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in a randomized controlled study. The intervention group added Nordic walking 5 h/week for 4 months to their ordinary activities. Aortic pulse wave velocity, aortic augmentation index, stiffness index, reflection index, intima-media thickness in the radial and carotid arteries, echogenicity of the carotid intima-media and systemic vascular resistance were measured. While baseline blood pressure did not differ by gender or diagnosis, aortic augmentation index was found to be higher in women in all groups. Vascular function was unchanged with intervention, without differences by gender or diagnosis. In conclusion, 4 months of Nordic walking is an insufficient stimulus to improve vascular function. Future studies should consider hard endpoints in addition to measures of vascular health, as well as larger population groups, long-term follow-up and documented compliance to exercise training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden margareta.ring@ki.se.
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Sickla Hälsocenter, Nacka, Sweden.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Claes Göran
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Östenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krook
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Juleen R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zierath
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caidahl
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Nordic walking; cardiovascular; intima–media; metabolic syndrome; pulse wave