Aerobic Exercise Capacity and Pulmonary Function in Athletes With and Without Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To compare the aerobic exercise capacity and pulmonary function between athletes with and without type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Fifty-one adult age-matched individuals were assessed in random order to the maximum volume of O₂ consumption (VO₂peak max) (ml/kg/min), anaerobic threshold (ml/kg/min), peak pulmonary ventilation (VE), heart rate (beats per min), time to exhaustion (min), forced vital capacity (FEV) (%), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (%), total lung capacity (TLC) (%), and lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) (%). Individuals were 27 with type 1 diabetes: 15 athletes (ADM) and 12 nonathletes (NADM); and 24 healthy individuals: 12 ADM and 12 NADM. Duration of diabetes was 14.6 ± 6.2 and 15.2 ± 6.7 years in ADM and NADM, respectively. RESULTS: Vo₂peak max was higher in ADM than in NADM (P < 0.001). The anaerobic threshold was lower in subjects with type 1 diabetes than in control subjects (P < 0.001). FEV1 was lower in ADM than in other groups (NADM, athletes control, and nonathletes control, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Aerobic capacity in subjects with type 1 diabetes with programmed exercise is similar to the capacity of normal athletes despite lower anaerobic threshold and FEV1.