Intervention/Treatments Tool
- A new treatment framework for diabetic people.
- Takes moderate intensity aerobic exercise.
- Regular among patients with type 1 diabetes.
- Monitoring physical activity with a G6 sensor.
- Requires several measurements during the session.
Interval activity, when monitored with Dexcom G6 glucose sensor, is fundamental in treating type 1 diabetes. The duration of physical exercise and its intensity affect glucose levels. They should be moderate to yield positive results (Guillot et al., 2020). Continuous physical exercise helps diabetic patients to reduce daily need for insulin, attain a healthy body mass index, better glycemic management, and to lower cardiovascular complications (Guillot et al., 2020). Continuous glucose monitoring during physical activity is crucial to better track glucose concentrations. The system reduces HbA1c levels and the risk of developing hypoglycemia. Moreover, CGM have improved time-in-range among patients, although it is relatively inaccurate in extreme conditions (Guillot et al., 2020). Physical activity affects fluid distribution in the interstitial compartment, apart from stimulating endogenous glucose secretion, therefore, affecting the accuracy of CGM.
The activity lasted for 30 minutes, and patients completed a half-an-hour physical activity session twice. They were subjected to a G6 sensor while they participated in resistance, aerobic and high intensity interval exercises (Guillot et al., 2020). They also wore the instruments for 5.3 days before visiting the clinic. Several measurements were undertaken during the session to monitor glucose levels. Physicians measured their capillary blood glucose with a contour meter prior to and after the activity. They also measured daytime activity using Apple Watch (Guillot et al., 2020). InPen Device was used to administer insulin.
Measurements during the in-clinic activity utilized a contour meter to check capillary blood glucose. The instrument captured glucose at the zero minute and after every ten minutes until the end of the activity. Physicians captured heart rate data using a polar H10 device (Guillot et al., 2020). They initiated the activity only after the patient’s glucose level rose above 4.4 mmol/L, while carbohydrate values settled below 3.9 mmol/L. They checked serum ketone levels when glucose values rose above 13.9 mmol/L, rescheduling the exercise for anyone who showed ketone levels lower than 0.6 mmol/L (Guillot et al., 2020).
Patient Populations
- Adults with type 1 diabetes recruited.
- Patients’ permission granted to researchers.
- Timed participation in high intensity exercises.
- Patients showing significant responses at the end.
- Effectiveness of the intervention observed among patients.
Researchers worked with 24 diabetic people receiving daily injections participated in the study. Their informed consent was necessary prior to participating in the activity. Patients participated in timed interval and high-intensity exercises, the former lasting for 30 minutes and a video was created for its workout. It consisted of 45 seconds of exercise and 15 seconds of instructions to allow the patients to rest. The session enabled all muscles to work and patients used resistance bands with optimum tolerance levels.
Moreover, they participated in a high intensity video, which consisted of 40 seconds of physical activity and 80 seconds of rest (Guillot et al., 2020). Researchers made significant observations regarding the intervention, first witnessing substantial drops in capillary blood glucose during aerobic activity, followed by resistance and high intensity exercises (Guillot et al., 2020). The G6 sensor also showed the largest reduction in glucose during aerobic exercise, then resistance and high intensity activities. Overall, most patients experienced a fall in blood glucose throughout the intervention. The patients’ drop in glucose levels revealed that diabetic adults could be subjected to moderate interval activity to manage their wellness. They should use G6 sensors because they provide accurate values of glucose levels during different exercises.
Reference
Guillot, F. H., Jacobs, P. G., Wilson, L. M., Youssef, J. E., Gabo, V. B., & Branigan, D. L., Tyler, N. S., Ramsey, K., Riddell, M. C., & Castle, J. R. (2020). Accuracy of the dexcom g6 glucose sensor during aerobic, resistance, and interval exercise in adults with type 1 diabetes. Biosensors, 10(10), 138. Web.