Background: Increased vascular stiffness is a marker of atherosclerosis, which is diagnosed in the early stages of diabetes II. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) are a family of proteolytic enzymes necessary for structure and function of great vessels. This study examined the effects of 8 weeks of aerobic exercise on MMP9 and TIMP-1 levels in type II diabetic women. Materials and Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study which included 20 in type II diabetic women with mean age of 53.2±2.5 years, body mass index (BMI) of 28.73±2.27 and fat percentage of 30.6±2.05, who were randomly divided into two groups: aerobic exercise group (8 weeks, 3 sessions per week for 50 minutes) and control group. To examine changes in MMP9 and TIMP-1, 5 ml of blood was taken from the brachial vein of patients before and 48 hours after completion of exercise period and after 12 hours of fasting at rest. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-16 software with the independent and paired t-tests. Results: A significant decrease was observed in body mass index and body fat percentage in the experimental group (p<0.05). Compared with the control group, the aerobic exercise group showed a significant decrease in MMP9 (p=0.01) and a significant increase in TIMP-1 levels (p=0.02) after 8 weeks of aerobic exercise. Conclusion: The results showed that aerobic exercise as a stimulus can change the levels of matrix metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases in diabetics.

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