Early insulin sensitivity after restrictive bariatric surgery, inconsistency between HOMA-IR and steady-state plasma glucose levels.

Background: The low-grade inflammatory condition present in morbid obesity is thought to play a causative role in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance (IR). Bariatric surgery fails to improve this inflammatory condition during the first months after surgery. Considering the close relation between inflammation and IR, we conducted a study in which insulin sensitivity was measured during the first months after bariatric surgery.

Activation of the complement system in human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Unlabelled: Activation of the innate immune system plays a major role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The complement system is an important component of innate immunity that recognizes danger signals such as tissue injury. We aimed to determine whether activation of the complement system occurs in NAFLD, to identify initiating pathways, and to assess the relation between complement activation, NAFLD severity, apoptosis, and inflammatory parameters.

Increased hepatic myeloperoxidase activity in obese subjects with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Inflammation and oxidative stress are considered critical factors in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is an important neutrophil enzyme that can generate aggressive oxidants; therefore, we studied the association between MPO and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The distribution of inflammatory cells containing MPO in liver biopsies of 40 severely obese subjects with either nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (n = 22) or simple steatosis (n = 18) was investigated by immunohistochemistry.

Neutrophil activation in morbid obesity, chronic activation of acute inflammation.

Recent studies show that morbid obesity is associated with activation of the innate immune response. Neutrophil activation is a fundamental process in the innate immune response. Therefore, the activation state of neutrophils in severely obese subjects and the effect of bariatric surgery on neutrophil activation was evaluated.

Short-term overfeeding induces insulin resistance in weight-stable patients after bariatric surgery.

Background: Short time overfeeding of rats rapidly leads to insulin resistance (IR). A study with healthy human volunteers, which we suggest are less susceptible for developing IR after short time overfeeding, did not show these effects on IR. Therefore a study population of weight-stable, former morbidly obese subjects (BMI 31.

Endothelial activation markers and their key regulators after restrictive bariatric surgery.

Objective: Increased plasma levels of endothelial activation markers in obese subjects reflect the positive association between cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The pro-inflammatory state associated with obesity is thought to play a major role in endothelial cell activation in severely obese individuals. Previous studies demonstrated that long-term weight loss after bariatric surgery is accompanied by a decreased proinflammatory state.

Ghrelin, leptin and insulin levels after restrictive surgery: a 2-year follow-up study.

Background: Ghrelin is a recently discovered orexigenic gastric hormone, whose production is induced by lack of food in the stomach. In morbidly obese individuals, ghrelin levels are low compared to lean persons. During dieting, plasma ghrelin levels increase, leading to an orexigenic signal, which could explain the lack of success of dieting in morbidly obese individuals.

Leptin in morbidly obese patients: no role for treatment of morbid obesity but important in the postoperative immune response.

Despite the current opinion that leptin can no longer be seen as a hormone which could be used therapeutically to prevent an energy surplus (it rather protects the organism for an energy deficit), leptin may still have an impact in clinical medicine. Leptin was shown to have several important functions. The pleiotropic properties of leptin include a regulatory function in the immune system.