Purpose: The study analyzed the influence of exercise on hypoglycemia episodes postexercise and in the subsequent 24 hours in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Methods: Thirty young people performed the same protocol of physical exercises for 1 hour (Ex1h) and 2 hours (Ex2h) after the administration of insulin. They performed 30 minutes of exercise on a cycle ergometer with a load of 60% of maximal oxygen uptake, interspersed with maximum intensity sprints lasting 10 seconds every 5 minutes.
Results: Regarding the occurrence of hypoglycemia, in the 8 hours following the exercises, there was no occurrence in Ex1h (χ2 = 0.001; P = .0001) and a greater proportion for Ex2h (n = 71 episodes, 53.8%), while Ex1h had a higher number of nocturnal hypoglycemic episodes (n = 60, 71.4%) compared with Ex2h (n = 31, 23.1%, χ2 = 49.521, P = .0001), Ex1h triggered a lower number of hypoglycemia (n = 84) than Ex2h (n = 134, χ2 = 11.504, P = .001). There was a greater reduction in the average amount of fast-acting insulin administered the day after Ex1h compared with Ex2h (P = .031).
Conclusions: Intermittent exercise performed 1 hour after insulin administration shows a lower risk of hypoglycemia within 8 hours after exercise, as well as a reduction in insulin the following day.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus; hypoglycemia; physical exercises.