Abstract
Thirty patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) participated in this study which sought to examine the effect of exercise therapy during hospitalization on the control of blood glucose and lipid levels after discharge. Subjects were assigned randomly to two groups, either a dietary and execise therapy group (DE group, n = 22) or a dietary therapy group (D group, n = 8).
During hospitalization both DE and D groups showed significant improvement in thier glycemic control compared with that at admission. Obesity index slightly decreased in both groups. The total-cholesterol decreased significantly in the DE group only. Three months following discharge, the fasting blood glucose level in the DE group increased significantly, but there was no further increase during testing at 6 months. On the contrary, the fasting blood glucose level in the D group increased significantly from discharge till testing at 6 months. Although the serum triglyceride (TG) remained unchanged in both groups, the TG levels were significantly lower in the DE group than in the D group throughout the study. The HDL-cholesterol increased significantly after discharge in the DE group only.
These results indicated that exercise therapy for patients with NIDDM during hospitalization had beneficial effects in the maintenance of metabolic control after discharge. This suggests greater independence of subjects following DE intervention. Further study on the follow-up of patients with NIDDM following discharge is required.
