Effect of Weight Regain on Body Composition and Metabolic Biomarkers After Sleeve Gastrectomy: a Cross-Sectional Study from a Hospital Database.

Introduction: Weight regain (WR) is described in approximately 30% of patient's post-bariatric surgery. It is related to the progression or recurrence of associated medical problems and decline in health-related quality of life. This study aimed to test the return of body composition and metabolic biomarkers to pre-operative levels when WR occurs.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2021, patients were randomly selected from the hospital's electronic databases between 2001 and 2020. Patient demographic data, comorbidities, body compositions, and metabolic biomarkers were collected. Three groups were defined: groups A (WR), B (weight loss), and C (control group; patients with obesity who had not yet undergone bariatric surgery).

Results: A total of 88 patients were enrolled in this study and matched with the control group. The body mass index in group A was 43.8 ± 6.9 kg/m; group B was 28.6 ± 4.2; group C was 43.9 ± 7.1. Body muscle mass, body fat mass, and visceral fat significantly differed between groups A and B (p < 0.001) but not between groups A and C (p = 0.8). There was a significant difference in leptin, ghrelin, postprandial glucagon-like peptide-1, insulin, and fibroblast growth factor-21 (but not retinol-binding protein-4) between groups A and B. Most metabolic biomarkers in group A returned to the pre-operative values as in group C.

Conclusion: WR had a direct negative effect on body composition and metabolic biomarkers, whereby the values returned to pre-operative levels. Early detection of WR and possible additional therapy are necessary to prevent associated medical problems.