Long-term and midterm outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare midterm and long-term weight loss and resolution of co-morbidity with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). SUMMARY: LRYGB and LSG are the most common procedures performed in bariatric surgery. However, their weight loss efficacy in the midterm and long-term has not been well compared. METHODS: A meta-analysis was performed by systematically identifying comparative studies conducted until the end of June 2016 that investigated weight loss outcome and resolution of co-morbidities (type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and obstructive sleep apnea) with LRYGB and LSG in the midterm (3-5 years) and long term (≥5 years). The primary endpoint was weight loss after LRYGB versus LSG. The secondary endpoint was resolution of co-morbidities after these procedures. RESULTS: Fourteen studies comprising 5264 patients were eligible. Follow-up ranged from 36 months to 75.8±8.4 months. The pooled result for weight loss outcomes did not show any significant difference in midterm weight loss (standardized mean difference = -0.03; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.38-.33; P = .88) but a significant difference in the long-term weight loss outcome favoring LRYGB (standardized mean difference = .17; 95% CI, .05-.28; P= .005). The pooled results demonstrated no significant difference for resolution of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. CONCLUSION: Despite the insignificant difference between LRYGB and LSG in midterm weight loss, LRYGB produced better weight loss in the long-term. There was no significant difference between the 2 procedures for co-morbidity resolution.

Vagotomy diminishes obesity in cafeteria rats by decreasing cholinergic potentiation of insulin release.

Herein, we investigated whether subdiaphragmatic vagotomy has benefits on obesity, body glucose homeostasis, and insulin secretion in cafeteria (CAF)-obese rats. Wistar rats were fed a standard or CAF diet for 12 weeks. Subsequently, CAF rats were randomly submitted to truncal vagotomy (CAF Vag) or sham operation (CAF Sham). CAF Sham rats were hyperphagic, obese, and presented metabolic disturbances, including hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia. Twelve weeks after vagotomy, CAF Vag rats presented reductions in body weight and perigonadal fat stores. Vagotomy did not modify glucose tolerance but normalized fed glycemia, insulinemia, and insulin sensitivity. Isolated islets from CAF Sham rats secreted more insulin in response to the cholinergic agent, carbachol, and when intracellular cyclic adenine monophosphate (cAMP) is enhanced by forskolin or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. Vagotomy decreased glucose-induced insulin release due to a reduction in the cholinergic action on ß-cells. This effect also normalized islet secretion in response to cAMP. Therefore, vagotomy in rats fed on a CAF-style diet effectively decreases adiposity and restores insulin sensitivity. These effects were mainly associated with the lack of cholinergic action on the endocrine pancreas, which decreases insulinemia and may gradually reduce fat storage and improve insulin sensitivity.

Long-term Weight and Metabolic Effects of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Calibrated with a 50-Fr Bougie.

BACKGROUND: Most surgeons calibrate the sleeve with 32-French (Fr) to 40-Fr bougies hypothesizing that smaller bougies are associated with greater weight loss and long-term lower weight regain. The purpose of this study was to assess the weight loss results and resolution of comorbidities 5 years after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). METHODS: A prospective study of all the morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy calibrated with a 50-Fr bougie between October 2007 and February 2010 was performed. Excess weight loss (EWL) and remission of comorbidities were investigated at 1, 2, and 5 years after surgery. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included for the analysis. One year after surgery, mean excess weight loss (EWL) of 81.8 % was achieved, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) resolution rate was 76.9 %, hypertension resolution was observed in 73.3 %, sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) resolution in 100 % hypertriglyceridemia was normalized in all the cases, and hypercholesterolemia in 21.4 %. Two years after surgery, mean EWL was 84.4 % and comorbidity resolution rate similar to that obtained after the first postoperative year. Five years after surgery, mean EWL was 78.7 %, T2DM resolution 69.2 %, hypertension 66.7 %, SAHS 100 %, hypertriglyceridemia 100 %, and hypercholesterolemia 14.3 %. CONCLUSIONS: LSG calibrated with a 50-Fr bougie obtained excellent results in weight loss and resolution comorbidities and their maintenance in the long-term follow-up in our series. In our opinion, the results depend more on a preoperative correct selection of candidates and a close postoperative follow-up, rather than using a narrow calibration bougie.

Association of serum lipid levels and prostate cancer severity among Hispanic Puerto Rican men.

BACKGROUND: While obesity and fat intake have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness and mortality, the association between lipid levels and PCa phenotype remains unclear. Previous reports evaluating this association are inconsistent and highly variable when considering different racial/ethnic groups. There are scarce data regarding this association among Hispanics, and specifically Puerto Rico's Hispanic men, a population with a higher burden of PCa, metabolic syndrome and overweight. This population has a different ancestry profile than other Hispanics from Central and South America. Due to the above the researchers inquired if there is a relationship between serum lipid levels and PCa phenotype in this understudied population using a cohort of patients treated with radical prostatectomy as their first treatment. METHODS: We performed an exploratory retrospective medical record review study of 199 PCa patients who underwent radical prostatectomy between 2005 and 2012. Variables analyzed included age at PCa diagnosis, Body Mass Index (BMI), preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), lipid levels, and clinical parameters such as prostatectomy pathologic stage and Gleason Score (GS). PCa severity was defined using pathologic stage and GS. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) to define the relationship among clinical characteristics and PCa severity. RESULTS: Mean age for the cohort was 58.8 years (range: 40-75), 78.9 % were overweight or obese, 36.7 % had hypertriglyceridemia, and 35.2 % had low HDL levels. In the unadjusted logistic regression model, hypertriglyceridemia (OR: 2.11, 95 % CI = 1.13-3.93), low HDL (OR: 1.90, 95 % CI = 1.02-3.56-), and age (OR: 2.34, 95 % CI 1.25-4.40) were significantly associated with a diagnosis of high severity of PCa. CONCLUSIONS: In Puerto Rican men with PCa, elevated hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL levels, and age were statistically associated with high grade PCa on bivariate analysis. Total cholesterol level was not associated with severity of disease. Associations lost significance upon multivariate adjustment. These data generate important hypotheses regarding the potential relationship between lipid pathways and PCa development and underscore the need to perform larger scale and longitudinal studies to sort out whether, hypertriglyceridemia is associated with PCa phenotype and development.

Laparoscopic bariatric surgery for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia.

BACKGROUND: It is well established that severe hypertriglyceridemia can lead to pancreatitis. At present, medical treatment for patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and repeat pancreatitis attacks is not adequate. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of laparoscopic bariatric surgery in these patients. METHODS: A review of 20 morbidly obese patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (a triglyceride level of >1000 mg/dL) who received laparoscopic bariatric surgery was performed. The study population comprised 14 males and six females, with an average age of 35.0 years (range 24-52 years), and the mean body mass index was 38.2 kg/m(2) (range 25-53 kg/m(2)). The preoperative mean plasma triglyceride level was 1782.7 mg/dL (range 1043-3884 mg/dL). Four patients had a history of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis and 13 patients had associated diabetes. RESULTS: Of the 20 patients, 17 (85%) received gastric bypass, whereas three (15%) received restrictive-type surgery. Laparoscopic access was used in all of the patients. Hypertriglyceridemia in morbidly obese patients was more commonly associated with male sex and a poorly controlled diabetic state. The mean weight reduction was 25.5% 1 year after surgery, with a marked improvement in diabetes management. As early as 1 month following surgery, the plasma mean triglyceride levels had decreased to 254 mg/dL (range 153-519 mg/dL), and this was further reduced to mean levels of 192 mg/dL (range 73-385 mg/dL) 1 year after surgery. One patient developed acute pancreatitis during the perioperative period, but none of the patients suffered an episode of pancreatitis in the follow-up period (from 6 months to 13 years). CONCLUSION: Bariatric surgery can be successfully used as a metabolic surgery in severe hypertriglyceridemia patients at risk of acute pancreatitis. However, control of triglyceride levels prior to bariatric surgery is indicated.

Amelioration of hypertriglyceridemia with hypo-alpha-cholesterolemia in LPL deficient mice by hematopoietic cell-derived LPL.

BACKGROUND: Macrophage-derived lipoprotein lipase (LPL) has been shown uniformly to promote atherosclerotic lesion formation while the extent to which it affects plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels varies in wild-type and hypercholesterolemic mice. It is known that high levels of LPL in the bulk of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle would certainly mask the contribution of macrophage LPL to metabolism of plasma lipoprotein. Therefore, we chose LPL deficient (LPL⁻/⁻) mice with severe hypertriglyceridemia as an alternative model to assess the role of macrophage LPL in plasma lipoprotein metabolism via bone marrow transplant, through which LPL will be produced mainly by hematopoietic cell-derived macrophages. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hypertriglyceridemic LPL⁻/⁻ mice were lethally irradiated, then transplanted with bone marrow from wild-type (LPL⁺/⁺) or LPL⁻/⁻ mice, respectively. Sixteen weeks later, LPL⁺/⁺ →LPL⁻/⁻ mice displayed significant reduction in plasma levels of triglyceride and cholesterol (408±44.9 vs. 2.7±0.5×10³ and 82.9±7.1 vs. 229.1±30.6 mg/dl, p<0.05, respectively), while a 2.7-fold increase in plasma high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (p<0.01) was observed, compared with LPL⁻/⁻→LPL⁻/⁻ control mice. The clearance rate for the oral fat load test in LPL⁺/⁺ →LPL⁻/⁻ mice was faster than that in LPL⁻/⁻→LPL⁻/⁻ mice, but slower than that in wild-type mice. Liver triglyceride content in LPL⁺/⁺→LPL⁻/⁻ mice was also significantly increased, compared with LPL⁻/⁻→LPL⁻/⁻ mice (6.8±0.7 vs. 4.6±0.5 mg/g wet tissue, p<0.05, n = 6). However, no significant change was observed in the expression levels of genes involved in hepatic lipid metabolism between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hematopoietic cell-derived LPL could efficiently ameliorate severe hypertriglyceridemia and hypo-alpha-cholesterolemia at the compensation of increased triglyceride content of liver in LPL⁻/⁻ mice.

Evolution of vitamin D binding protein concentration in sera from cardiac surgery patients is determined by triglyceridemia.

BACKGROUND: Multiple human and animal studies have reviewed the (non-)actin scavenger functions of vitamin D binding protein (DBP). Recently, we demonstrated the partially lipid bound character of DBP. The purpose of the present study was to explore the link between actin, lipids and DBP in a cohort of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: The interplay between DBP, actin and lipids was investigated in a cohort study of 35 Caucasian patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Total and actin-free DBP concentrations were assessed by immunonephelometry and ELISA. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase (-MB) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured using routine methods. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was calculated according to the Friedewald formula. The DBP phenotypes and the macromolecular bound DBP fractions were determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and confirmed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Using PAGE and Western blotting with an anti-human DBP polyclonal antibody, the actin-bound DBP complex was identified in serum. Following cardiac surgery, total serum DBP concentrations were characterized by a two phased course. This was paralleled by a similar pattern in serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Good correlation was found between total and actin free serum DBP concentrations (r=0.69, p<0.0001). The serum actin free DBP/total DBP ratio remained stable throughout the study period. Although no significant correlation between cumulative CK-MB enzyme release and delta serum total DBP concentration was observed (p=NS), the latter value correlated significantly with delta serum triglyceride concentrations (r=0.37, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The lipid bound character is an underestimated property of DBP in the extracellular actin-scavenger system.

Domino effect from hypertriglyceridemia to sinistral portal hypertension.

Patient with hypertriglyceridemia history tends to develop a pancreatitis episode. Triglyceride levels > 1000 mg/dl may trigger this pathology. Amylase is not a good predictor for pancreatitis associated with hypertriglyceridemia. Because of the close relation between pancreas and splenic vein, pancreatitis is the most common etiologic factor in developing thrombosis or occlusion in splenic vein. The impairment or cessation of venous flow in splenic vein results in back pressure which is transmitted through short gastric and gastroepiploic veins and subsequently via the coronary vein into the portal system. Increased flow across the short gastric veins creates sinistral portal hypertension. Recurrent upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage is the last scene of this sequence in general, and may be unique sign. This case is extremely rare to understand all the cascade mechanism at once.

Gestational hyperlipidemic pancreatitis without non-gestational hyperlipidemia.

A 27 year-old pregnant woman was referred to our department with nausea, abdominal pain, and hypertriglyceridemia (5500 mg/dl). A diagnosis of acute gestational hyperlipidemic pancreatitis was made. She had no history of nongestational hyperlipidemia. Subsequently, she underwent pancreatic drainage and Caesarean section. Our experience suggests that gestational hyperlipidemic pancreatitis may occur in pregnant women without nongestational hyperlipidemia. Intensive monitoring of serum lipid levels is mandatory when managing pregnant women who develop or show gestational worsening of hypertriglyceridemia.

Gastric obesity surgery combined with partial ileal bypass for hypercholesterolemia.

BACKGROUND: It is unusual for a patient to manifest both morbid obesity and hyperlipidemia. Certain of these individuals may also have a history of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis. We report six morbidly obese hypercholesterolemic patients, two with recurrent hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis, who were managed by concurrent gastric restrictive surgery and a partial ileal bypass operation. METHODS: The first dual procedure was performed on January 6 1992, and the most recent on February 20 1997. Our series consists of two males and four females, with an average age of 35.5 years at the time of surgery. The mean preoperative weight of these patients was 116.8 kg, and the mean BMI was 39.7 kg/m2. The preoperative mean total plasma cholesterol was 5.5 g/l and the mean plasma triglyceride was 30.61 g/l; the two patients with a history of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis had plasma triglyceride levels of 33.6 g/l and 65 g/l. RESULTS: The average weight reduction, using available follow-up intervals was 40.3 kg (34.5%), with a mean postoperative BMI of 20.0 kg/m2 (34.8% reduction). The markedly elevated total plasma cholesterol and plasma triglyceride levels were normalized, with a postoperative mean total plasma cholesterol of 1.47 g/l (73.3% reduction) and a concomitant mean plasma triglyceride of 1.63 g/l (94.7% reduction). The two patients with a history of pancreatitis sustained triglyceride reductions of 96.5% and 94.1%, and neither patient has had an episode of pancreatitis following the dual operative procedures. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the combination of a gastric restrictive operation with a partial ileal bypass procedure represents excellent management for patients with both morbid obesity and hypercholesterolemia, especially if the hypercholesterolemia is accompanied by hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis.

Ovariectomy decreases plasma triglyceride levels and both prevents and alleviates glomerular disease in uninephrectomized female analbuminemic rats.

Female Nagase analbuminemic rats (NAR) are profoundly hypertriglyceridemic and develop proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis when aging and after uninephrectomy (UNX). Ovariectomy (OVX) markedly decreases plasma triglyceride levels in this species. This study evaluated whether decreasing triglyceride levels by OVX could prevent renal disease or alleviate its progression in UNX female NAR. Female NAR underwent OVX at 0, 12, 24, or 36 wk after UNX. In the absence of OVX, the animals developed progressive proteinuria from 18 wk after UNX and showed extensive glomerular sclerosis, lipid deposition, and hypertrophy at euthanasia (49 wk after UNX). These changes were prevented by OVX carried out at 0 or 12 wk, and attenuated by OVX at 24 wk after UNX. If performed at 36 wk after UNX, OVX had no effect on glomerulosclerosis, although it reduced proteinuria. In 95% (20 of 21) of the rats with proteinuria over 10 mg/day, proteinuria decreased in the first 6 wk after OVX. The percentage decrease in proteinuria correlated inversely with the glomerulosclerosis score at euthanasia (r = -0.58, P < 0.01). OVX had no effect on hyperfiltration and hyperperfusion in the UNX rats. OVX consistently reduced plasma triglyceride levels in rats both with and without proteinuria, and it also reduced plasma cholesterol, but only in conjunction with reduction in proteinuria. It was concluded that OVX in UNX female NAR prevents glomerulosclerosis if performed before proteinuria and attenuates further development of established renal disease if performed in a timely manner. This study's data suggest that in UNX female NAR, the lowering of plasma triglyceride levels plays a central role in the renoprotective action of OVX.