Effects of resistance training on neuromuscular parameters in elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized clinical trial

This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial that verified the resistance training efficacy on neuromuscular parameters, with muscle quality as primary outcome. Forty-four elderly with diabetes type 2 (69.7 ± 6.9 years; 26 men) were randomly allocated to a 12-weeks resistance training group (RTG, 3 times a week), or an active control group with stretching classes (CG, once a week). Primary and secondary outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks, as follow: quadriceps muscle thickness and rectus femoris muscle quality, maximal knee extension strength, rapid strength, functional performance, visceral adipose tissue, glycemic control, lipid profile and quality of life. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyses based on intention-to-treat and per-protocol approaches, which showed the same results. Among all outcomes measured there were improvements in the knee extension strength (P < 0.001) and quadriceps muscle thickness (P < 0.001) for RTG. The muscle quality did not improve for both groups (P = 0.98). For the secondary outcomes there were no improvements for functional performance, rapid strength, glycemic control, quality of life, visceral adipose tissue and lipid profile in both groups, with exception of triglyceride level reduction for RTG (P = 0.04).The resistance training program is an efficacious strategy for improve the neuromuscular health in elderly with T2DM, considering increases in lower limb strength and muscle mass, but the same was not found for muscle quality, rapid strength, functional performance and quality of life. Furthermore, the training program did not induce significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin values of patients who already had suitable glycemic control.