Social phobia and quality of life in morbidly obese patients before and after bariatric surgery.

Background: Morbidly obesity is characterized by physical and psychological comorbidities which are associated with reduced quality of life. Bariatric surgery has been linked to a reduction of psychopathology other than to a reduction of weight and improvement in physical functioning. Aim of the present study was to compare psychological features of two groups of morbidly obese patients, before and after bariatric surgery, assessing social phobia and quality of life.

Effects of transoral gastroplasty on glucose homeostasis in obese subjects.

Context And Objective: Transoral gastroplasty (TOGA) is a safe and less invasive procedure than traditional bariatric surgery. We studied the effects of TOGA on the risk of progression from prediabetes to overt type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or on regression from diabetes or prediabetes to a lower risk category.

Design And Setting: Prospective, observational study (October 2008 to October 2010) performed at Catholic University, Rome, Italy.

Medical and surgical treatment of haemorrhoids and anal fissure in Crohn's disease: a critical appraisal.

Background: The principle to avoid surgery for haemorrhoids and/or anal fissure in Crohn's disease (CD) patients is still currently valid despite advances in medical and surgical treatments. In this study we report our prospectively recorded data on medical and surgical treatment of haemorrhoids and anal fissures in CD patients over a period of 8 years.

Methods: Clinical data of patients affected by perianal disease were routinely and prospectively inserted in a database between October 2003 and October 2011 at the Department of Surgery, Tor Vergata University Hospital, Rome.

Effectiveness of the Transoral Endoscopic Vertical Gastroplasty (TOGa®): a good balance between weight loss and complications, if compared with gastric bypass and biliopancreatic diversion.

Background: The effectiveness of restrictive procedures has been inferior to that of malabsorbitive ones. Recent variants of restrictive procedures, i.e.

Bariatric surgery versus conventional medical therapy for type 2 diabetes.

Background: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and biliopancreatic diversion can markedly ameliorate diabetes in morbidly obese patients, often resulting in disease remission. Prospective, randomized trials comparing these procedures with medical therapy for the treatment of diabetes are needed.

Methods: In this single-center, nonblinded, randomized, controlled trial, 60 patients between the ages of 30 and 60 years with a body-mass index (BMI, the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) of 35 or more, a history of at least 5 years of diabetes, and a glycated hemoglobin level of 7.

Underestimation of urinary albumin to creatinine ratio in morbidly obese subjects due to high urinary creatinine excretion.

Background & Aims: Albuminuria, a chronic kidney and/or cardiovascular disease biomarker, is currently measured as albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR). We hypothesize that in severely obese individuals ACR might be abnormally low in spite of relatively high levels of urinary albumin due to increased creatininuria.

Methods: One-hundred-eighty-four subjects were divided into tertiles based on their BMI.

Cardiovascular risk in obesity: different activation of inflammation and immune system between obese and morbidly obese subjects.

Background: Both inflammation and immunity are involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Obesity is considered a major modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, however, the correlation between increasing degrees of obesity and cardiovascular risk is not clear yet. Aim of our study was to investigate how different degrees of obesity are associated with inflammation and immune system responses.

Thyroid function and insulin sensitivity before and after bilio-pancreatic diversion.

Background: Bilio-pancreatic diversion (BPD) induces permanent weight loss in previously severe obese patients through a malabsorptive mechanism. The aim of the study was to evaluate the modifications of circulating thyroid hormones after BPD, a surgical procedure which interferes with the entero-hepatic circulation of biliary metabolites.

Methods: Forty-five patients were studied before and 2 years after BPD.

Prolactin and insulin ultradian secretion and adipose tissue lipoprotein lipase expression in severely obese women after bariatric surgery.

Background: Hyperprolactinemia is associated with obesity. Furthermore, in human adipose tissue cultured in vitro, prolactin (PRL) inhibited lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity via functional PRL receptors.

Objective: To study PRL and insulin ultradian rhythm and subcutaneous adipose tissue LPL mRNA and protein expressions in severely obese women before and after malabsorptive bariatric surgery.

Influence of maternal obesity on insulin sensitivity and secretion in offspring.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of maternal obesity on insulin sensitivity and secretion in offspring.

Research Design And Methods: Fifty-one offspring of both sexes of obese (Ob group) and 15 offspring of normal-weight (control group) mothers were studied. Plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide were measured during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).