Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2013; 121(07): 420-424
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1347246
Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Glucose Control during a Driving Training in Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus – a Randomised, Controlled Trial

R. Truninger
1   Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Frauenfeld, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
,
H. Uthoff
2   Department of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute, Miami, FL, USA and ­Department of Angiology, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
,
J. Capraro
1   Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Frauenfeld, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
,
B. Frauchiger
1   Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Frauenfeld, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
,
G. A. Spinas
3   Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
,
P. Wiesli
1   Department of Internal Medicine, Kantonsspital Frauenfeld, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 23 February 2013
first decision 20 April 2013

accepted 15 May 2013

Publication Date:
13 June 2013 (online)

Abstract

Aims:

To investigate the effect of prolonged acute mental stress by means of a driving training on glucose control in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods:

39 patients with insulin-treated diabetes (18 type 1, 21 type 2 diabetes) were exposed to mental stress by means of a 2 h-driving training. The training session started 15 min after intake of a standard meal. Blood glucose, blood pressure, heart rate, salivary cortisol, and subjective stress perception were monitored in regular intervals and compared to a control day.

Results:

On the stress testing day, blood pressure rose from 142/86±16/9 mmHg to 162/95±22/11 mmHg (p<0.001), heart rate from 72±11 bpm to 86±16 bpm (p<0.001) and subjective stress perception from 1.4±0.6 to 4.7±2.5 points (p<0.001). Salivary cortisol concentrations increased from a median of 5.1 nmol/l (Interquartile Range (IQR) 3.5–7.5 nmol/l) at baseline to 7.7 nmol/l (IQR 4.7–12.8 nmol/l, p<0.001), all these measurements remained stable on the control day. Glucose control showed no significant difference on the stress testing day compared to the control day (mean difference over time=0.22 mmol/l, 95%-CI −1.5 to +1.9 mmol/l, p=0.794). A multivariate linear regression and correlation analysis showed no association of demographic characteristics (diabetes type, age, body mass index (BMI), diabetes duration, HbA1c), objective or subjective stress parameters with the course of glucose concentrations during the driving training.

Conclusions:

Although a 2 h-driving training causes increased subjective and objective stress parameters, glucose control is maintained in patients with insulin-treated diabetes.

 
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