Assessing the effects of 6 weeks of intermittent aerobic exercise on aerobic capacity, muscle fatigability, and quality of life in diabetic burned patients: Randomized control study

Walid Kamal Abdelbasset; Nermeen Mohamed Abdelhalim

doi:10.1016/j.burns.2019.12.013

Assessing the effects of 6 weeks of intermittent aerobic exercise on aerobic capacity, muscle fatigability, and quality of life in diabetic burned patients: Randomized control study

Burns. 2020 Aug;46(5):1193-1200. doi: 10.1016/j.burns.2019.12.013. Epub 2020 Jan 3.

Authors

Walid Kamal Abdelbasset¹, Nermeen Mohamed Abdelhalim²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. Electronic address: walidkamal.wr@gmail.com.
² Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physical Therapy, New Kasr El-Aini Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

PMID: 31911074
DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2019.12.013

Abstract

Background: Both burn and diabetes mellitus (DM) cause functional and psychosocial disabilities. A low-cost and safe approach is greatly required to reduce these disabilities and the effects of aerobic exercise have generated varied evidence to date. The aim of the study was to explore the effects of 6 weeks of intermittent aerobic exercise (IAE) on aerobic capacity, muscle fatigability, and quality of life (QoL) in diabetic burned patients (DBPs).

Methods: The study design was a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Between March 2018 and July 2019 thirty-six (22 males and 16 females) diabetic burned patients were included in the study, their age ranged 35-55 years. They were clinically diagnosed with type 2 DM and total body surface area (TBSA) was 15-30%. The participants were randomly assigned to the IAE group (n = 18) and controls (n = 18). Aerobic capacity, muscle fatigability, and QoL were assessed initially and repeated after 6 weeks of intervention.

Results: Initial data demonstrated non-significant differences between the IAE and control groups (p > 0.05). Comparing pre- and post-intervention outcomes showed significant improvement of VO₂max, muscle fatigability, QoL domains in the IAE group after 6 weeks intervention (p < 0.05) and non-significant changes in the control group (p > 0.05). The IAE group showed statistically significant improvement more than the control group in all outcome measures (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: 6 weeks of intermittent aerobic exercise is an effective alternative modality to improve aerobic capacity, muscle fatigability, and QoL in DBPs. Adherence to intermittent aerobic exercise should be practicable into mainstream clinical intervention for those patients.

Keywords: Aerobic capacity; Burn; Diabetes mellitus; Intermittent aerobic exercise; Muscle fatigability; Quality of life.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Body Surface Area
Burns / complications
Burns / pathology
Burns / rehabilitation*
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications*
Electromyography
Exercise
Exercise Therapy / methods*
Exercise Tolerance*
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Muscle, Skeletal
Oxygen Consumption
Physical Endurance*
Quality of Life*
Single-Blind Method