A group of 16 sedentary, overweight, non-smoking, older patients with type 2 diabetes volunteered to participate in a 6-month, supervised, progressive, aerobic training study, two times per week. Plasma levels of hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α receptors, P-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were measured before and after physical training. While hs-CRP and soluble TNF-α receptors remained essentially unaffected by physical training, plasma concentrations of P-selectin (P < 0.001) and ICAM-1 (P < 0.01) markedly decreased; physical training also increased HDL cholesterol by 12 % (P < 0.05) and decreased uric acid levels by 33 % (P = 0.021). Body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, haemoglobin A1c, plasma triglyceride and LDL cholesterol concentrations did not change. Interestingly, the exercise-induced changes in ICAM-1 and P-selectin levels remained significant after adjustment for the percent variations of body weight, waist circumference, haemoglobin A1c, HDL cholesterol and uric acid concentrations.
A twice-weekly, 6-month, progressive aerobic-training programme, without a concomitant weight loss diet, is associated with significant decreases in circulating P-selectin and ICAM-1 levels and with a less atherogenic lipid profile in overweight, non-smoking, older type 2 diabetic individuals.