Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of partial weight-bearing during aerobic exercise training on cardiovascular disease risk and peripheral vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Study design: A Randomized controlled study was conducted in the outpatient rehabilitation unit.
Population: Forty-six participants (age 60 -70) with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited and randomly allocated into three groups: group A (100% weight-bearing; n=16), group B (75% weight-bearing; n=16), and group C (control group; n=14).
Methods: The 2 study groups A and B, received three sessions per week of moderate intensity (60-75% heart rate reserve) aerobic exercise training, for 12 weeks, 50-60 minutes session duration (including warm-up and cool-down), on the antigravity treadmill. The cardiovascular disease risk (evaluated using the Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk estimator plus tool) and peripheral vascular function (presented by ankle-brachial pressure index, calculated by subdividing the ankle systolic blood pressure by the brachial systolic blood pressure) are the main study outcomes. Variables were evaluated pre-study and post-study. Ethical concepts and institutional regulations were adhered during the study. Data were described as mean and standard deviation. Paired samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to test within and between-subjects assumptions, respectively, considering p\< 0.05 as the significance level.