Author(s): WU, L.1, MAÑAS, A.2,3, GÓMEZ-REDONDO, P.2,3, SÁNCHEZ-MARTÍN, C.2,3, MORENO-MANZANARO, D.2,3, GONZÁLEZ-MARTOS, R.2, ARA, I.2,3, GÓMEZ-RUANO, M.1, GUADALUPE-GRAU, A.2, Institution: UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID, Country: SPAIN, Abstract-ID: 1842

INTRODUCTION:
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is significantly increasing in the older population (Sesti et al., 2018). Particularly, T2DM not only disrupts systemic metabolic function but also predisposes individuals to a spectrum of health complications, including neuropathy, cardiovascular disease, and retinopathy, which seriously affect the quality of life and long-term health status of older persons (Ng et al., 2014). In addition, a natural decrease in muscle strength occurs with increasing age, and T2DM patients show a greater decline in muscle strength. Therefore, this study aims to compare the differences in physical performance and lower body muscle power production, mediated by the relationship between force and velocity (F-V), between T2DM patients and their healthy counterparts.
METHODS:
A final sample of 15 T2DM (T2D group) participants and 15 non-T2DM healthy older adults (CON group) were recruited and matched based on age (T2D:73 ± 2, CON:72 ± 3), gender (7 males and 8 females in each group) and BMI (T2D:30.2 ± 2.1, CON:30.3 ± 1.9) for this cross-sectional study. Physical function was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (Guralnik et al., 1994), while handgrip strength was measured using a digital hand-held dynamometer (Takei TKK5401, Tokyo, Japan). The F-V relationship was evaluated in the leg press exercise (Selection MED, Technogym, Italy) using a lineal encoder (TForce System, Ergotech, Spain). From the F-V regression equation, several variables were derived, including maximum isometric force or intercept force (F0), maximum unloaded velocity (V0), optimal force (Fopt), optimal velocity (Vopt), the slope of the F-V relationship (F-V slope), and maximum muscle power (Pmax). To assess the differences by groups, the Student’s t-test was run considering a significance level set at P≤ 0.05.
RESULTS:
SPPB scores in the T2D group were significantly lower than the CON group (T2D:11.2 ± 0.6, CON:11.7 ± 0.7, P=0.043). There was no significant difference in handgrip strength between groups (T2D:27.4 ± 11.1, CON:32.7 ± 7.8, P＞0.05). F0 was significantly higher in CON group (T2D:790.95 ± 161.66, CON:1014.34 ± 286.27, P=0.015) while V0 was relatively higher in T2D group (T2D: 1.02 ± 0.32, CON:0.71 ± 0.16, P=0.003). Significant differences were also found in Fopt (T2D:395.47 ± 80.83, CON:546.74 ± 247.3, P=0.038), Vopt (T2D:0.51 ± 0.16, CON:0.35 ± 0.08, P=0.002) and F-V slope (T2D:-855.94 ± 333.92, CON:-1275.45 ± 383.55, P=0.005) between groups. No differences were found between groups for Pmax (T2D:197.82 ± 57.74, CON:182.52 ± 80.75, P=0.556).
CONCLUSION:
Type 2 diabetes negatively influences the level of physical function and several variables related to lower limb muscle power-generating ability in older adults. The evaluation of the F-V profile might help to identify specific neuromuscular deficits, guiding the design of targeted exercise programs to enhance physical performance in this population.