20896-2960/15/$35.00 © 2015 by Begell House, Inc. 19 Critical Reviews™ in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 27(1): 19–35 (2015) The Effect of Low-Volume, High-Intensity Interval Training on Blood Glucose Markers, Anthropometric Measurements, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Michael Curry, Saurabh P. Mehta, Justin C. Chaffn, Eric Duran, Brian Washington, & Sujoy S. Bose* School of Physical Therapy, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia, USA *Address all correspondence to: Sujoy S. Bose, PT, DPT, MHS, BSPT, CCS; School of Physical Therapy, Marshall University, 2847 5th Avenue, Huntington, WV 25705, USA; Tel: 304 696 5615; E-mail: boses@marshall.edu AbstrAct: The profound biologic, and societal burden of the syndrome of Diabetes Mel- litus (DM) is subject of much ongoing research. There is signifcant interest in nonpharmaco- logic glycemic control, principally by exercise. While benefcial effects of generic exercise on glucose metabolism have been well established in the literature, there is a paucity of research on the volume, intensity, and type of the most optimal forms of exercise that affect glycemic physiology in those with type 2 DM. The goal of this study was to perform a systematic review of the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on glycemic control in people with type 2 DM. A systematic search using predefned keywords was performed on PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, and Cochrane Register of Randomized Trials. Six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The results of this study indicated that exercises have favor- able effects on glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The individuals who un- derwent HIIT experienced reduced glucose concentration, HbA1c level, systolic blood pres- sure, and BMI. However, the HIIT did not have any superior benefts when compared to the moderate-intensity continuous exercise regime. In light of these fndings, this review strongly recommends at least moderate-intensity exercises, if not HIIT, in improving health outcomes in patients with type 2 DM. KEY WOrDs: high-intensity, exercise, interval training, glycemic control, type 2 diabetes, rehabilitation AbbrEVIAtIONs: DM, diabetes mellitus; HIIt, high-intensity interval training; bMI, body mass in- dex; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin I. BACKGROUND Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Diabetes Association as a growing epidemic, and a major threat to na- tional health. 1 Diabetes consists of a group of metabolic disorders associated with high levels of blood glucose, resulting from defects in insulin production, or the action of insulin on the body, or both. Type 2 DM is a condition characterized by decreased in-