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Mechanical Properties of Achilles Tendon in Rats Induced to Experimental Diabetes

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of chemically induced diabetes mellitus (DM) on the mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon of rats and correlate it with metabolic and biomechanical findings. Adult rats were selected randomly and assigned to two groups, the diabetic group consisted of animals receiving a dose of streptozotocin to induce type I diabetes and the control group. The animals were placed in metabolic cages for analysis of metabolism. Ten weeks after diabetes induction, the Achilles tendon of both groups were collected and submitted to a traction test in a conventional testing machine. The measurements of mechanical properties indicated that the elastic modulus (MPa) was significantly higher in the control group (p < 0.01). In Maximum tension (MPa), the groups did not have differences (p > 0.01). Energy/tendon area (N mm/mm2), specific strain (%) and maximum specific strain (mm) were higher in tendon tests of the diabetic group (p < 0.01). We observed that the mechanical properties of tendons have correlations with metabolic properties of the diabetic animals. These results showed that induced DM in rats have an important negative effect on the mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon.

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Acknowledgments

All authors provided concept, idea, research design, writing, and data analysis. We acknowledge the financial support provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq 477096/2008-5) and fellowship from the CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) to Mr. Oliveira.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Master Program in Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE, Recife, Brazil

    Rodrigo Ribeiro de Oliveira & Silvia Regina Arruda de Moraes

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Ceará, UFC, Rua Alexandre Baraúna 949, Fortaleza, CE, 60430-160, Brazil

    Rodrigo Ribeiro de Oliveira

  3. Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE, Recife, Brazil

    Kamilla Dinah Santos de Lira, Patrícia Verçoza de Castro Silveira & Marcos Paulo Galdino Coutinho

  4. Master Program in Rehabilitation Science, Centro Universitário Augusto Motta, Unisuam, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marcela Nicácio Medeiros

  5. Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE, Recife, Brazil

    Magno Felipe Holanda Barboza Inácio Teixeira

  6. Department of Anatomy, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE, Recife, Brazil

    Silvia Regina Arruda de Moraes

Authors
  1. Rodrigo Ribeiro de Oliveira
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  2. Kamilla Dinah Santos de Lira
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  3. Patrícia Verçoza de Castro Silveira
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  4. Marcos Paulo Galdino Coutinho
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  5. Marcela Nicácio Medeiros
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  6. Magno Felipe Holanda Barboza Inácio Teixeira
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  7. Silvia Regina Arruda de Moraes
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Correspondence to Rodrigo Ribeiro de Oliveira.

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Associate Editor Michael R. Torry oversaw the review of this article.

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de Oliveira, R.R., de Lira, K.D.S., de Castro Silveira, P.V. et al. Mechanical Properties of Achilles Tendon in Rats Induced to Experimental Diabetes. Ann Biomed Eng 39, 1528–1534 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-011-0247-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-011-0247-z

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