Albuminuria in Patients with Morbid Obesity and the Effect of Weight Loss Following Bariatric Surgery.

Background And Objectives: Patients with morbid obesity are at an increased risk for cardiovascular and renal complications, which are not only linked to traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Thus, we evaluated (a) the prevalence of albuminuria in non-diabetic and diabetic morbidly obese patients and (b) the effect of weight loss following bariatric surgery.

Material And Methods: We included 1307 patients (77% women, mean age 40 ± 12 years, BMI 45.

Prevalence of Micronutrient Deficiency in Patients with Morbid Obesity Before Bariatric Surgery.

Background: Postoperative micronutrient deficiency is a known side effect of bariatric surgery. In this study, we examined the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in patients with morbid obesity (MO) preoperatively.

Methods: A total of 1732 patients with MO wishing to undergo bariatric surgery (age: 40 ± 12 years, mean BMI: 44 ± 9 kg/m, means ± SD, 77.

YKL-40 is elevated in morbidly obese patients and declines after weight loss.

Background: Patients suffering from morbid obesity (MO) have an increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This increased cardiovascular burden is believed to be caused by a sub-inflammatory state through an increased secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) by the adipose tissue, resulting in insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). YKL-40, which is elevated in inflammatory processes in T2DM and IR and in ruptured plaques, might as well be involved in the increased cardiovascular burden of MO patients.

Ghrelin and obestatin levels in severely obese women before and after weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

Background: Ghrelin and obestatin are derived from the same gene but have different effects: Ghrelin stimulates appetite, and previous-albeit inconsistent-data show that obestatin may be involved in satiety. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery and/or the weight loss that reliably results from this procedure would alter levels of ghrelin and obestatin and ghrelin/obestatin ratios in a cohort of morbidly obese women.

Methods: This is a longitudinal follow-up study in 18 morbidly obese women (mean weight 131.

Increase of osteopontin plasma concentrations after bariatric surgery independent from inflammation and insulin resistance.

Background: Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional matrix glycoprotein associated with bone metabolism and has been linked to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and atherosclerosis. Diet-induced weight loss decreases elevated OPN concentrations in obese patients. The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of OPN after bariatric surgery, where not only improvements of chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and comorbidities, but also malabsorption and altered bone metabolism have been reported.

Peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1 in morbidly obese patients before and after surgically induced weight loss.

Background: Peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are cosecreted in the same enteroendocrine L-cells of the gut and reported to inhibit food intake additively. However, findings in human studies regarding these peptides are controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between fasting PYY, GLP-1, and weight status in morbidly obese patients before and after surgically induced weight loss.

Increase in visfatin after weight loss induced by gastroplastic surgery.

Objective: The recently described adipokine visfatin is produced in visceral fat and has been suggested to influence insulin resistance. To investigate whether visfatin concentrations are related to changes in body weight, this adipokine was measured in insulin-resistant severely obese patients before and after gastroplastic surgery.

Research Methods And Procedures: Visfatin, interleukin-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and other clinical parameters were assessed in 36 severely obese subjects (28 female; mean age, 43 years) with a median BMI of 44.

Relationship of androgens to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation in morbidly obese premenopausal women: studies before and after vertical banded gastroplasty.

Background: Morbid obesity is associated with insulin resistance (IR), type 2 diabetes, lipid abnormalities, and hypertension. The association of obesity with increased androgen production and low concentrations of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in women has been demonstrated as well as a strong association of androgens with markers of inflammation such as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Because weight loss results in a significant decrease in cardiovascular risk factors, IR and inflammation, we questioned a possible interrelationship between androgens, IR and inflammation in a prospective study with 43 morbidly obese female patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Effect of massive weight loss induced by bariatric surgery on serum levels of interleukin-18 and monocyte-chemoattractant-protein-1 in morbid obesity.

Background: Morbid obesity is associated with insulin resistance (IR), chronic inflammation and premature atherosclerosis. Since vascular inflammation may contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality of these patients, we studied circulating Interleukin-18 (L-18) and monocyte-chemoattractant-protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in 37 patients with morbid obesity before and after significant weight loss induced by bariatric surgery and their preoperative and postoperative associations with C-reactive protein (CRP) and IR-associated factors.

Methods: High sensitivity assays were used to measure concentrations of fasting CRP, IL-18 and MCP-1.

Weight loss reduces circulating asymmetrical dimethylarginine concentrations in morbidly obese women.

The endogenous nitric oxide-synthase inhibitor asymmetrical dimethyl-L-arginine (ADMA) is elevated in patients with increased risk for arteriosclerosis. Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We measured plasma ADMA concentrations in morbidly obese women before and after weight loss following gastroplastic surgery.

Weight loss reduces tissue factor in morbidly obese patients.

Objective: To investigate the tissue factor (TF) pathway in clinical obesity and associated metabolic syndrome.

Research Methods And Procedures: Thirty-seven morbidly obese patients (4 men; BMI, 48 +/- 7 kg/m(2); range, 42 to 53 kg/m(2)), undergoing elective gastroplasty for the induction of weight loss, were examined for hemostatic, metabolic, and inflammatory parameters at baseline and 14 +/- 5 months postoperatively.

Results: Weight loss significantly reduced circulating plasma TF (314 +/- 181 vs.