Effect of type 2 diabetes on plasma kallikrein activity after physical exercise and its relationship to post-exercise hypotension.

AIM: The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of type 2 diabetes (T2D) on plasma kallikrein activity (PKA) and postexercise hypotension (PEH). METHODS: Ten T2D patients (age: 53.6±1.3 years; body mass index: 30.6±1.0kg/m(2); resting blood glucose: 157.8±40.2mgdL(-1)) and 10 non-diabetic (ND) volunteers (age: 47.5±1.0 years; body mass index: 28.3±0.9kg/m(2); resting blood glucose: 91.2±10.5mgdL(-1)) underwent two experimental sessions, consisting of 20min of rest plus 20min of exercise (EXE) at an intensity corresponding to 90% of their lactate threshold (90LT) and a non-exercise control (CON) session. Blood pressure (BP; Microlife BP 3AC1-1 monitor) and PKA were measured during rest and every 15min for 135min of the postexercise recovery period (RP). RESULTS: During the RP, the ND individuals presented with PEH at 30, 45 and 120min (P<0.05) while, in the T2D patients, PEH was not observed at any time. PKA increased at 15min postexercise in the ND (P<0.05), but not in the T2D patients. CONCLUSION: T2D individuals have a lower PKA response to exercise, which probably suppresses its hypotensive effect, thus reinforcing the possible role of PKA on PEH.