Cardiorespiratory Performance in Diabetic Elderly

Physical activity level assessment performed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)

This questionnaire was validated in a Brazilian population and in an interview approach. It contains questions regarding frequency and duration of physical activities, classifying the elderly in four categories: very active, active, irregularly active, and sedentary. The physical activity level was investigated considering two variables: Sedentariness and "Time of moderate intensity activities" (TMIA). The presence of sedentariness was established in those subjects who were classified as sedentary and all other classifications were grouped as absence of sedentariness. The TMIA referred to the time self-reported by the subjects, weekly, in minutes spent in performing moderate intensity activities , calculated according to the answers to questions 2a and 2b from IPAQ, as follows: TMIA = (n days) x (time in min).

Time frame: Six months

Assessment of functional capacity was quantitatively analyzed based on the scores obtained in the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL).

This scale has as maximum score 27 points, with the following classification: (27-26 points), partially dependent (25-10 points) and dependent (\<10 points). The presence of functional decline was seen in those patients who had complete or partial dependence on IADL.

Time frame: Six months

Assessment of biochemical determinations

Venous blood samples were drawn from an antecubital vein early in the morning in a fasting state and assessed by a biochemical laboratory. The measured parameters included: Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), lipid profile (serum triglycerides \_ TG, serum total cholesterol \_ TC, serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol \_ LDL-C, serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol \_ HDL-C). Serum biochemistries were performed by automated enzimatic method, under routine laboratory procedures. The LDL-C was calculated using the Friedewald formula \[22\]. The normal values for parameters FPG, TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C used in this research were defined by the revised National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III).

Time frame: Six months