Physiotherapeutic intervention in peripheral arterial disease by functional hyperemia in diabetic patients

Abstract Introduction : Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is conceptualized as a public health problem with varying degrees of morbidity. The physical and functional alternatives for the treatment of circulatory complications of diabetes, such as intermittent claudication, are poorly explored. This indicates the need to search for ancillary techniques that can be used in the physical therapy treatment of diabetic patients. Objective : To investigate the effects of functional hyperemia on peripheral arterial disease in patients with diabetes. Materials and methods: This study was conducted with a group of five volunteers from the Diabetics Association of Parana (Associação Paranaense do Diabético , APAD ), who suffered from peripheral vascular disorders in the lower limbs. All subjects attended 10 sessions (twice weekly). Functional hyperemia was induced by programmed exercise therapy that consisted of walking on a treadmill. Results : There was a significant increase in mean activity time (F9,36 = 13.710; p < 0.001 ), mean walking distance (F9,36 = 27.689 ; p < 001), and mean speed (F9,36 = 15.638 ; p < .001). No statistically significant differences in the ankle-brachial index were noted. Conclusion : There was a significant increase in walking distance, time, and speed for diabetic subjects. Our findings indicate the importance of physical therapists in the supervised treatment of peripheral vascular disorders in diabetic patients. Resumo Introdução : A Diabetes Mellitus (DM) caracteriza-se como um problema de saúde pública, sendo responsável, inclusive, por variados graus de morbidade ao organismo humano. Nas complicações circulatórias da patologia, como na claudicação intermitente, as alternativas físico-funcionais de tratamento são pouco exploradas, o que mostra a necessidade de buscar técnicas auxiliares para o tratamento fisioterapêutico em sujeitos diabéticos. Objetivo : Verificar os efeitos do procedimento de hiperemia funcional no tratamento da insuficiência arterial periférica em sujeitos portadores da Diabetes Mellitus. Materiais e Métodos : Estudo realizado com grupo de 5 voluntários diabéticos da Associação Paranaense do Diabético (APAD), com manifestação de distúrbios vasculares periféricos em membros inferiores. Foram realizados 10 atendimentos duas vezes na semana. O procedimento de hiperemia funcional foi aplicado através da terapia por exercício programado composto por caminhada sobre a esteira ergométrica. Resultados : Foi possível verificar que h