Maximum Oxygen Uptake Determination in Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

In brief: Four girls and six boys (mean age, 13.3 years; range, 12 to 14) with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), who were not physically fit, performed a maximum-effort, continuous, progressive cycling test. The purpose was to document baseline aerobic capacity before prescribing exercise as part of the treatment plan for IDDM. Results showed that blood glucose levels did not change appreciably during the test. Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂) was 34 and 44 ml·kg-⁻¹·min⁻¹ for girls and boys, respectively (substandard values for the age of the subjects). These findings suggest that patients in fair to poor metabolic control (mean Hb A¹, 11.42%; SD, 4.47; normal range, 5.0% to 7.5%) can indeed tolerate stress testing without experiencing a change in glucose level that would jeopardize their health.