Effect Of Different Modes Of Exercise On Nerve Conduction In Patients With Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Objective 1. To examine the effect of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise on body mass index(BMI), blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c(Hb A1c), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) among patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy(DPN). 2. To test the effect of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise on nerve conduction among patients with DPN. 3. To compare the effect of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise on nerve conduction among patients with DPN.Methods A randomized controlled trial with a parallel-group design was used for this study. A total of 57 inactive patients with DPN were recruited from Tianjin Metabolic Disease Hospital and randomly allocated to aerobic exercise(AE) group and resistance exercise(RE) group. Patients of AE and RE group respectively carried out one-hour session, 3 nonconsecutive days per week for 12 weeks moderate intensity AE and RE. 2-tailed paired t test was used to compare the pre-intervention and post-intervention outcome. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the difference between AE group and RE group.Results 1. There were no significant difference when compared before and after intervention; on the other hand, there were no statistical difference between AE and RE group in BMI(P>0.05). 2. After 12-week of exercise, the RE group’s systolic blood pressure(SBP) significantly decreased(P<0.05), but no significant difference in diastolic blood pressure(DBP)(P>0.05); The AE group’s SBP and DBP had no statistical difference when compared to baseline(P>0.05). There were no no statistical difference between AE and RE group in SBP and DBP(P>0.05).3. Hb A1 C significantly improved in either of two groups and improved more in RE group compared with AE group(P<0.05). 4. When compared to baseline, there were no significant difference in TG, TC, LDL-C and HDL-C(P>0.05). There were no no statistical difference between AE and RE group in TG, TC, LDL-C and HDL-C(P>0.05). 5. After 12-week of exercise, the AE group decreased their latency of motor conduction of peroneal nerve and tibial nerve; Besides, the AE group increased the velocity of motor conduction of peroneal nerve, motor conduction of tibial nerve and distal sensory conduction of tibial nerve, which were significant compared to baseline(P<0.05). The RE group decreased their latency of motor conduction of tibial nerve and proximal sensory conduction of tibial nerve; Besides, the RE group increased the velocity of motor conduction of tibial nerve, distal sensory conduction of tibial nerve and proximal sensory conduction of tibial nerve, which were significant compared to baseline(P<0.05). Increase in proximal sensory conduction velocity of tibial nerve was significantly greater in RE group than in AE group(P<0.05), no statistically significant intergroup differences were observed in any of other changes.Conclusions In summary, 12-week moderate intensity AE and RE could significantly improved Hb A1 C and nerve conduction among patients with DPN. Compared with AE group, there were more significant improvement in RE group on the test of Hb A1 C and proximal sensory conduction velocity of tibial nerve. Walking and elastic resistance exercise are safe and feasible which is needed to be recommended in a broader group of patients with DPN in a community based setting.