Mechanical Properties of Achilles Tendon in Rats Induced to Experimental Diabetes

• Published in: Annals of biomedical engineering Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 1528 - 1534
• Main Authors: de Oliveira, Rodrigo Ribeiro, de Lira, Kamilla Dinah Santos, de Castro Silveira, Patrícia Verçoza, Coutinho, Marcos Paulo Galdino, Medeiros, Marcela Nicácio, Teixeira, Magno Felipe Holanda Barboza Inácio, de Moraes, Silvia Regina Arruda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01-05-2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Achilles Tendon - metabolism; Achilles Tendon - pathology; Achilles Tendon - physiopathology; Animals; Biochemistry; Biological and Medical Physics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Biomedicine; Biophysics; Classical Mechanics; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - pathology; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - physiopathology; Elasticity; Humans; Male; Models, Biological; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Mechanical properties; Animal model; Achilles tendon; Diabetes mellitus
• ISSN: 0090-6964; 1573-9686
• DOI: 10.1007/s10439-011-0247-z

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/mm
2
), 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.