A randomized controlled trial on the effects of combined aerobic-resistance exercise on muscle strength and fatigue, glycemic control and health-related quality of life of type 2 diabetes patients

Aim: to evaluate the effects of a 12-weeks combined aerobic-resistance exercise therapy on fatigue and isokinetic muscle strength, glycemic control and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in moderately affected type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. Methods: a randomized controlled trial design was employed. Forty-three T2DM patients were assigned to an exercise group (n = 22), performing 3 weekly sessions of 60 minutes of combined aerobic-resistance exercise for 12-weeks; or a no exercise control group (n = 21). Both groups were evaluated at a baseline and after 12-weeks of exercise therapy for: 1) muscle strength and fatigue by isokinetic dynamometry; 2) plasma glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C); and 3) HRQoL utilizing the SF-36 questionnaire. Results: the exercise therapy led to improvements in muscle fatigue in knee extensors (-55%) and increased muscle strength in knee flexors and extensors (+15 to +30%), while HbA1C decreased (-18%). In addition, the exercising patients showed sizeable improvements in HRQoL: physical function (+53%), vitality (+21%) and mental health (+40%). Conclusion: 12-weeks of combined aerobic-resistance exercise was highly effective to improve muscle strength and fatigue, glycemic control and several aspects of HRQoL in T2DM patients. These data encourage the use of aerobic and resistance exercise in the good clinical care of T2DM.

Respostas curriculares e educativas disponibilizadas entre 1997 e 2007 às crianças com síndrome de X Frágil, no Concelho de Alandroal

Com a realização deste trabalho pretendemos apurar as Respostas Curriculares e Educativas disponibilizadas entre 1997 e 2007 às crianças com síndrome X Frágil, no concelho de Alandroal. Foi privilegiada uma abordagem metodológica qualitativa, que recorre à análise de conteúdos de documentos presentes nos processos dos cinco alunos sinalizados e também a actas dos conselhos de docentes e de turma. Depois de analisados os resultados, constatou-se que o tipo de respostas curriculares e/ou educativas mais utilizadas para esta população, assentou numa dimensão predominantemente pedagógica, mas também se salientam as dimensões terapêutica e curricular. Para tal, registou-se o recurso a espaços físicos, à legislação, a recursos didácticos e humanos, bem como a parcerias que se estabeleceram dentro e fora do concelho do Alandroal. As estratégias mais utilizadas para cada aluno em particular mereceram também a nossa atenção; ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to find out the "curricular/educational" responses that were in-place to meet the needs of the students with Fragile X syndrome, in the Alandroal’s county, between 1997/2007. A qualitative methodological approach has been preferred, consisting on the analysis of the documents present in the student’s individual processes (which have been referred for special education) and also in some minutes of the teacher’s council meetings and class council. Results have shown that the most used response within this population was mainly connected to the pedagogic dimension, but also it was also based on the therapeutic and curricular dimensions. So, it has been used resources related to physical spaces, legislation, human and didactic, as well as to partnerships inside and outside Alandroal’s county. Specific strategies used on particular students did also have our special attention.