Targeting the Sweet Spot: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis of Anterior Versus Posterior Glenohumeral Joint Injections for Adhesive Capsulitis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical outcomes following steroid injections using the anterior and posterior approaches. DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis. SETTING: Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trials were searched for randomized control trials (RCTs) and prospective comparative studies. PATIENTS: Patients with adhesive capsulitis. INTERVENTIONS: Glenohumeral steroid injections using either anterior or posterior approach. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain visual analog scale (VAS) and shoulder range of motion (ROM) at 12 weeks, accuracy, and adverse events. Standardized mean difference (SMD) for VAS and weighted mean difference (WMD) for ROMs. RESULTS: We identified 6 RCTs and one prospective comparative study with a total of 468 patients. While there was no difference in pain VAS at 12 weeks between the 2 approaches (SMD, -0.86; 95% CI, -1.76 to 0.04), the anterior approach resulted in greater improvements in external rotation (WMD, 8.08; 95% CI, 0.79-15.38) and abduction (WMD, 6.76; 95% CI, 3.05-10.48) compared with the posterior approach. Subgroup analysis with RCTs that utilized steroid injection with hydrodilatation for both approaches demonstrated greater reduction in pain VAS at 12 weeks with the anterior approach (SMD, -0.52; 95% CI, -0.98 to -0.07). Overall, procedures were well tolerated without major complications. CONCLUSIONS: While pain reduction is similar, the anterior approach may be more beneficial in restoring shoulder external rotation and abduction compared with the posterior approach at 12 weeks. Steroid injection combined with hydrodilatation may further improve pain control when performed with the anterior approach at 12 weeks.

Mortality and Liver-Related Events in Lean Versus Non-Lean Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although approximately 40% of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are nonobese or lean, little is known about the long-term clinical outcomes of lean NAFLD. We aimed to estimate the risk of mortality and adverse liver-related events in patients with lean NAFLD compared with those with non-lean NAFLD. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases through May 2022 for articles reporting mortality and/or development of cirrhosis among lean and non-lean NAFLD patients. The relative risks (RRs) of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, liver-related mortality, and occurrence of decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma were pooled using the random-effects model. We also performed subgroup analysis according to characteristics of the study population, methods of NAFLD diagnosis, study design, study region, and length of follow-up. RESULTS: We analyzed 10 cohort studies involving 109,151 NAFLD patients. Patients with lean NAFLD had comparable risks for all-cause mortality (RR, 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66-1.90), cardiovascular mortality (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.66-1.90), and adverse liver events including decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (RR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.50-1.30). However, the risk of liver-related mortality was higher in patients with lean than non-lean NAFLD (RR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.02-3.45). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a higher risk of liver-related mortality in patients with lean NAFLD than those with non-lean NAFLD. This finding indicates that further understanding of the pathophysiology, risk factors of adverse outcomes, and genetic and ethnic variabilities of lean NAFLD phenotype is warranted for individualized treatment strategies in lean NAFLD patients.

Remission of type 2 diabetes after gastrectomy for gastric cancer: diabetes prediction score.

BACKGROUND: Although type 2 diabetes (T2D) remission after gastric cancer surgery has been reported, little is known about the predictors of postoperative T2D remission. METHODS: This study used data from a nationwide cohort provided by the National Health Insurance Service in Korea. We developed a diabetes prediction (DP) score, which predicted postoperative T2D remissions using a logistic regression model based on preoperative variables. We applied machine-learning algorithms [random forest, XGboost, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression] and compared their predictive performances with those of the DP score. RESULTS: The DP score comprised five parameters: baseline body mass index (< 25 or ≥ 25 kg/m2), surgical procedures (subtotal or total gastrectomy), age (< 65 or ≥ 65 years), fasting plasma glucose levels (≤ 130 or > 130 mg/dL), and antidiabetic medications (combination therapy including sulfonylureas, combination therapy not including sulfonylureas, single sulfonylurea, or single non-sulfonylurea]). The DP score showed a clinically useful predictive performance for T2D remission at 3 years after surgery [training cohort: area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) 0.73, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.71-0.75; validation cohort: AUROC 0.72, 95% CI 0.69-0.75], which was comparable to that of the machine-learning models (random forest: AUROC 0.71, 95% CI 0.68-0.74; XGboost: AUROC 0.70, 95% CI 0.67-0.73; LASSO regression: AUROC 0.75, 95% CI 0.73-0.78 in the validation cohort). It also predicted the T2D remission at 6 and 9 years after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The DP score is a useful scoring system for predicting T2D remission after gastric cancer surgery.

Long-term cardiovascular risk reduction after gastric cancer surgery: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Gastrectomy for gastric cancer is associated with postoperative changes in cardiovascular risk factors, however, the impact of gastrectomy on cardiovascular events remains unclear. The authors assessed the incidence of cardiovascular events between patients undergoing gastrectomy or endoscopic resection for gastric cancer, and the general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective nationwide cohort study included patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy ( n =37 698), endoscopic resection ( n =2773), and matched control population ( n =161 887) between 2004 and 2013. The authors included patients without a history of cancer other than gastric cancer, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. The primary outcome was the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) such as acute myocardial infarction, revascularization, or acute ischemic stroke, in patients with gastric cancer. RESULTS: Among patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer, 2.9% (4.69 per 1000 person-years) developed novel MACE within the 1-year follow-up period. The gastrectomy group demonstrated a significantly decreased risk for MACE than the control population [hazard ratio (HR), 0.65; 95% CI: 0.61-0.69; P <0.001). Among the patients undergoing endoscopic resection for gastric cancer, 5.4% (8.21 per 1000 person-years) developed novel MACE within the 7-year follow-up period. The risk for MACE in the endoscopic resection group was not significantly different from the control population. CONCLUSION: Patients with gastric cancer who have undergone gastrectomy exhibit a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases in comparison to the general population. In contrast, the risk for cardiovascular diseases in patients with gastric cancer who underwent endoscopic resection did not demonstrate a significant difference in cardiovascular risk in comparison to the general population.

Metabolomic profiles of incident gallstone disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gallstone disease affects ≥40 million people in the USA and accounts for health costs of ≥$4 billion a year. Risk factors such as obesity and metabolic syndrome are well established. However, data are limited on relevant metabolomic alterations that could offer mechanistic and predictive insights into gallstone disease. This study prospectively identifies and externally validates circulating prediagnostic metabolites associated with incident gallstone disease. METHODS: Female participants in Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II) who were free of known gallstones (N=9960) were prospectively followed up after baseline metabolomic profiling with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable logistic regression and enrichment analysis were used to identify metabolites and metabolite groups associated with incident gallstone disease at PFDR<0.05. Findings were validated in 1866 female participants in the Women's Health Initiative and a comparative analysis was performed with 2178 male participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. RESULTS: After multivariate adjustment for lifestyle and putative risk factors, we identified and externally validated 17 metabolites associated with incident gallstone disease in women-nine triacylglycerols (TAGs) and diacylglycerols (DAGs) were positively associated, while eight plasmalogens and cholesterol ester (CE) were negatively associated. Enrichment analysis in male and female cohorts revealed positive class associations with DAGs, TAGs (≤56 carbon atoms and ≤3 double bonds) and de novo TAG biosynthesis pathways, as well as inverse associations with CEs. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights several metabolites (TAGs, DAGs, plasmalogens and CE) that could be implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of gallstone disease and serve as clinically relevant markers.

Ultraprocessed food consumption and risk of gallstone disease: analysis of 3 prospective cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Majority of dietary intake in United States adults comes from ultraprocessed foods (UPFs), which have been linked to several adverse health outcomes. Gallstone disease is highly prevalent and constitutes a significant burden to the United States health system but remains understudied. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the association between UPF consumption and incident gallstone disease risk. METHODS: In this analysis, 44,149 males in the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study (HPFS: 1986-2022), 71,145 females in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS: 1986-2021), and 90,932 females in the NHS II (1991-2021) were prospectively followed. Dietary intake was quadrennially assessed with semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires and used to identify UPFs. The primary outcome was defined as cholecystectomy. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Baseline median age was 54 y in HPFS, 53 y in NHS, and 36 y in NHS II. We identified 32,374 incident gallstone disease cases over 5,077,059 person-years. Participants in the highest UPF quintile had a higher incidence of gallstone disease than those in the lowest quintile (aHR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.36; P < 0.001). Incremental risk of incident gallstone disease was 2.8% per daily serving (95% CI: 2.4%, 3.2%; P < 0.001). This risk was driven by sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages on UPF subgroup analyses. The proportion of risk mediated by obesity was 12.8% (95% CI: 7.7%, 20.5%; P < 0.001) in HPFS, 14.3% (95% CI: 10.4%, 19.4%; P < 0.001) in NHS, and 39.4% (95% CI: 31.2%, 48.1%; P < 0.001) in NHS II. The partial population attributable risk was estimated at 15.9% (95% CI: 13.4%, 18.3%). CONCLUSIONS: UPF consumption is associated with a higher risk of gallstone disease, particularly consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages. A substantial proportion of this risk is potentially mediated by obesity in younger females.

Dietary and lifestyle insulinemic potentials, plasma metabolome, and risk of diverticulitis: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Diet and lifestyle factors have been linked to developing diverticulitis. However, it remains largely unknown whether the associations are mediated by metabolic disturbance, such as hyperinsulinemia and corresponding metabolomic perturbations. OBJECTIVES: We investigated associations of the insulinemic potential of diet, lifestyle (diet, physical activity, body weight), and metabolomic patterns with the risk of incident diverticulitis. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study including participants in 3 nationwide cohorts of United States health professionals. The risk of incident diverticulitis was estimated according to quintiles of the empirical dietary index for hyperinsulinemia (EDIH) and empirical lifestyle index for hyperinsulinemia (ELIH). In a subset of participants with metabolomic measurements, we developed metabolomic dietary index for hyperinsulinemia (MDIH) and metabolomic lifestyle index for hyperinsulinemia (MLIH), metabolite profile scores correlating with EDIH and ELIH, respectively, and tested their associations with subsequent risk of diverticulitis. We also examined whether the associations of EDIH and ELIH with diverticulitis were mediated by the metabolite profile scores. RESULTS: Among 184,508 participants [median age, 51 (interquartile range, 46-56) y], we documented 9123 incident diverticulitis cases over 3,419,945 person-years. Compared with those in the lowest quintile, participants with the most hyperinsulinemic diets and lifestyles (highest quintiles of EDIH and ELIH) had a hazard ratio for the risk of diverticulitis of 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 1.31] and 1.69 (95% CI: 1.57, 1.81), respectively. Similarly, the metabolite profile scores were significantly associated with the diverticulitis risk with odds ratio of 1.96 for MDIH (95% CI: 1.47, 2.60) and 1.93 for MLIH (95% CI: 1.48, 2.51) when comparing extreme quintiles. The explainable proportions of EDIH- and ELIH-related diverticulitis risk by MDIH and MLIH were 70% (95% CI: 6%, 99%) and 57% (95% CI: 23%, 86%), respectively (P < 0.0001 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Participants with dietary and lifestyle patterns corresponding to higher insulinemic potential had an increased risk of diverticulitis, which might be mediated by metabolomic profiles.

Association of bariatric surgery with indicated and unintended outcomes: An umbrella review and meta-analysis for risk-benefit assessment.

Bariatric surgery can cause numerous functional changes to recipients, some of which are unintended. However, a systematic evaluation of wide-angled health benefits and risks following bariatric surgery has not been conducted. We systematically evaluated published systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials and observational studies reporting the association between bariatric surgery and health outcomes. We performed subgroup analyses by surgery type and sensitivity analysis, excluding gastric band. Thirty systematic reviews and 82 meta-analyzed health outcomes were included in this review. A total of 66 (80%) health outcomes were significantly associated with bariatric surgery, of which 10 were adverse outcomes, including suicide, fracture, gastroesophageal reflux after sleeve gastrectomy, and neonatal morbidities. The other 56 outcomes were health benefits including new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) (odds ratio [OR] = 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.19-0.79), hypertension (OR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.33-0.40), dyslipidemia (OR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.14-0.81), cancers (OR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.53-0.80), cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and women's health. Surgery is associated with reductions in all-cause mortality and death due to cancer, DM, and CVD. Bariatric surgery has both beneficial and harmful effects on a broader than expected array of patients' health outcomes. An expansion of the indication for bariatric surgery could be discussed to include a broader population with metabolic vulnerabilities.

Gut microbiome composition and metabolic activity in women with diverticulitis.

The etiopathogenesis of diverticulitis, among the most common gastrointestinal diagnoses, remains largely unknown. By leveraging stool collected within a large prospective cohort, we performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing and untargeted metabolomics profiling among 121 women diagnosed with diverticulitis requiring antibiotics or hospitalizations (cases), matched to 121 women without diverticulitis (controls) according to age and race. Overall microbial community structure and metabolomic profiles differed in diverticulitis cases compared to controls, including enrichment of pro-inflammatory Ruminococcus gnavus, 1,7-dimethyluric acid, and histidine-related metabolites, and depletion of butyrate-producing bacteria and anti-inflammatory ceramides. Through integrated multi-omic analysis, we detected covarying microbial and metabolic features, such as Bilophila wadsworthia and bile acids, specific to diverticulitis. Additionally, we observed that microbial composition modulated the protective association between a prudent fiber-rich diet and diverticulitis. Our findings offer insights into the perturbations in inflammation-related microbial and metabolic signatures associated with diverticulitis, supporting the potential of microbial-based diagnostics and therapeutic targets.

Assessment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms and Sleep Quality Among Women in the Nurses' Health Study II.

Importance: Limited data exist on the association of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms with sleep quality. Objective: To prospectively investigate the association between GER symptoms and sleep quality. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective cohort study included data from the Nurses' Health Study II of female nurses in the US. Participants self-reported the frequency and duration of GER symptoms beginning June 2005, with updates every 4 years through June 2015. Follow-up was completed June 2019, and data were analyzed from November 15, 2022, to June 4, 2023. Exposures: Frequency and duration of GER symptoms. Main Outcomes and Measures: Poor sleep quality was assessed in 2017 through a modified Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which included difficulty in falling asleep, restlessness of sleep, daytime sleepiness, sleep disturbance, and sleep duration. Relative risk (RR) for poor sleep quality and individual components of poor sleep quality was estimated according to the frequency and duration of GER symptoms. Results: Among 48 536 women (median age, 59 years [range, 48-69 years]), 7929 (16.3%) developed poor sleep quality during 4 years of follow-up. Compared with those with GER symptoms less than once a month, the multivariable RR for poor sleep quality among women with GER symptoms more than once a week was 1.53 (95% CI, 1.45-1.62). Women who had GER symptoms once or more a week for more than 7 years had an RR of 1.36 (95% CI, 1.30-1.43) compared with women who had not had GER symptoms once or more a week. The frequency and duration of GER symptoms were significantly associated with each individual component of poor sleep quality; for example, the multivariable RRs for GER symptoms 2 or more times per week compared with no GER symptoms were 1.49 (95% CI, 1.39-1.58) for difficulty in falling asleep, 1.47 (95% CI, 1.39-1.56) for excessive daytime sleepiness, and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.36-1.53) for restlessness of sleep. Conclusions and Relevance: In this prospective cohort study of female nurses in the Nurses' Health Study II, the frequency and duration of GER symptoms were associated with subsequent risk of poor sleep quality. The findings suggest that effective treatment of GER disease may be important not only for improvement of symptoms but also for the reduction of comorbidities associated with poor sleep quality.

The association between weight change after gastric cancer surgery and type 2 diabetes risk: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although gastric cancer patients generally experience drastic weight decrease post-gastrectomy, the impact of weight decrease on type 2 diabetes risk remains unclear. We investigated the type 2 diabetes risk after gastric cancer surgery according to postoperative weight decrease in gastric cancer survivors in South Korea, the country with the world's highest rate of gastric cancer survival. METHODS: This retrospective nationwide cohort study included gastric cancer surgery recipients between 2004 and 2014 who survived for ≥5 years post-surgery. We included patients without a history of diabetes at the time of surgery and those who had not received adjuvant chemotherapy before or after the surgery. Postoperative weight loss was defined as the per cent body weight loss at 3 years post-surgery compared with the baseline. The type 2 diabetes risk was evaluated using Cox regression analyses for five groups of postoperative weight decrease. RESULTS: In 5618 included gastric cancer surgery recipients (mean age, 55.7 [standard deviation, SD, 10.9] years; 21.9% female; mean body mass index, 23.7 [SD, 2.9] kg/m2 ), 331 patients (5.9%) developed postoperative type 2 diabetes during follow-up duration of 8.1 years (median; interquartile range, 4.8 years; maximum, 15.2 years). Compared with those who gained weight post-surgery, patients with ≥ -15% to < -10% of postoperative weight decrease (hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.87; P = 0.004) had the lowest type 2 diabetes risk. A non-linear association occurred between postoperative weight decrease and the type 2 diabetes risk in gastrectomy recipients (Akaike's information criterion [AIC] for non-linear model, 5423.52; AIC for linear model, 5425.61). CONCLUSIONS: A U-shaped non-linear association occurred between the type 2 diabetes risk and postoperative weight decrease in gastric cancer survivors who underwent gastrectomy. The lowest type 2 diabetes risk occurred in patients with ≥ -15% to < -10% of postoperative weight decrease at 3 years.

Methodology for conducting a comprehensive product review in managed care.

The high degree of complexity of the product-review process and differences in procedures between organizations have resulted in a need for best practices and an overall product-review process to create efficiencies for health care decision makers. In an effort to streamline product-review concepts, this article outlines the different components of the review process, including clinical and economic review, formulary placement determination, and evaluation of alternatives within a drug class. The article also details opportunities for the near future, as technology continues to advance and alignment between medical and pharmacy benefits is desired. DISCLOSURES: Drs Linnerooth, Penley, Ha, and Craven report employment with Xcenda, which provided funding for the manuscript. Drs Sauvageau and Hydery report employment Xcenda, which provided funding for the manuscript, and stock holdings with AmerisourceBergen. Dr Feeney reports support for attending meetings and/or travel provided by Highmark, Inc. Dr Thomas reports receipt of consulting fees from ActiveRADAR, board member roles with ActiveRADAR and RoundtableRx, an adjunct professor role with the University of Minnesota, and stock options and pensions with Eli Lilly and Aetna/CVS. Dr Watkins reports payment or honoraria from ISPOR and for articles written for Value and Outcomes Spotlight, and support for attending meetings and/or travel by AMCP.

Comparative Risk of Type 2 Diabetes after Gastrectomy and Endoscopic Resection for Gastric Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with gastric cancer (GC) experience 2 characteristic treatment modalities (gastrectomy or endoscopic resection), which may induce heterogeneity in the risk of post-cancer treatment type 2 diabetes (T2D). We investigated differences in the risk for T2D development in survivors of GC according to the 2 treatment methods. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective nationwide population-based cohort study included 14,646 patients with GC who underwent gastrectomy (n = 12,918) or endoscopic resection (n = 1,728). We enrolled patients who survived for at least 5 years after gastrectomy or endoscopic resection, had no history of diabetes, and had not received adjuvant chemotherapy. T2D risk was evaluated using Cox regression for the gastrectomy group and compared to that of the endoscopic resection group. Because of the competing risks of incident T2D and death, a competing risk regression was performed. RESULTS: After a median follow-up duration of 8.1 years, the incidence rates of T2D in the endoscopic resection group and gastrectomy group were 7.58 and 6.98 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Patients undergoing gastrectomy showed a significantly higher risk for developing T2D than patients undergoing endoscopic resection (hazard ratio [HR], 1.37; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.58; p < 0.0001). In subgroup analyses, gastrectomy was associated with increased T2D risk in female patients (HR, 1.72; 95% CI 1.22 to 2.43; p = 0.030 for interaction). CONCLUSIONS: Among GC survivors, patients undergoing gastrectomy showed a 37% increased risk of T2D development compared to patients undergoing endoscopic resection. Subgroup analyses showed that T2D risk increased by up to 72% in female patients. These results provide insights for establishing screening and preventive strategies for GC survivors to prevent T2D according to different treatment modalities.

Impact of telehealth on health care resource utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: To assess healthcare utilization (HCRU) among patients with incident telehealth visit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials & methods: Retrospective pre-post analyses was conducted using HealthJump data. Adults continuously enrolled with an incident telehealth visit between Feb and April 2020 were identified. Demographics, clinical characteristics, proportion of patients with ≥1 HCRU visits and post-index trends in HCRU were analyzed. Results: Sample constituted 2799 patients, 60.34% female and 46.23% white with mean age 59.70. Significant increase in patients with outpatient visits (5.36%, p < 0.005; only established), non-face-to-face visits (99.50%, p < 0.005) and prescription use (12.86%, p < 0.005) was reported. Conclusion: Among patients utilizing telehealth during COVID-19 pandemic, HCRU changed significantly. Better deployment policies and adoption techniques of telehealth could potentially act as a strong tool to revolutionize the healthcare delivery, with or without the pandemic.

Comparative risk of anemia and related micronutrient deficiencies after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in patients with obesity: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Although Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG) are the most prevalent bariatric surgical procedures, high-level evidence is scarce regarding the assessment of postoperative nutritional risk in RYGB versus SG. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the risk of anemia and related micronutrient deficiencies after RYGB and SG. We analyzed 10 randomized controlled trials that compared RYGB and SG with reported incidence of postoperative anemia and/or anemia-related micronutrient deficiencies (iron, vitamin B12 , or folate). There were no significant differences in the risk of postoperative anemia (moderate level of evidence), iron deficiency (high level of evidence), or folate deficiency (moderate level of evidence). Patients undergoing RYGB had a higher risk of postoperative vitamin B12 deficiency than those undergoing SG (relative risk, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-3.02; p = 0.012; high level of evidence). Our findings imply that patients undergoing RYGB require more stringent vitamin B12 supplementation and surveillance than those undergoing SG. Additionally, our results may aid patients with high concern for anemia and related micronutrient deficiencies in making informed decisions regarding surgical methods based on nutritional risk.

Metabolomics in Bariatric Surgery: Towards Identification of Mechanisms and Biomarkers of Metabolic Outcomes.

Bariatric surgery has been widely performed for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Efforts have been made to investigate the mechanisms underlying the metabolic effects achieved by bariatric surgery and to identify candidates who will benefit from this surgery. Metabolomics, which includes comprehensive profiling of metabolites in biological samples, has been utilized for various disease entities to discover pathophysiological metabolic pathways and biomarkers predicting disease progression or prognosis. Over the last decade, metabolomic studies on patients undergoing bariatric surgery have identified significant biomarkers related to metabolic effects. This review describes the significance, progress, and challenges for the future of metabolomics in the area of bariatric surgery.

Effects of thyroid-stimulating hormone suppression after thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppression effects on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women who underwent thyroidectomy. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and SCOPUS were searched from inception to 24 February 2021. STUDY SELECTION: Case-control studies were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two authors independently reviewed the studies, extracted the data and performed meta-analysis of eligible studies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Studies evaluating BMD in postmenopausal women with thyroid cancer who had thyroidectomy and levothyroxine therapy were included. Differences in BMD were presented as standardised mean differences (SMDs). Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Analysis of 16 case-control studies (426 patients and 701 controls without thyroid cancer) showed that stringent TSH suppression (TSH <0.10 mIU/L) after thyroidectomy had deleterious effects on the BMD of the lumbar spine in postmenopausal women compared with controls (SMD -0.55; 95% CI -0.99 to -0.10; I2=75.8%). There was no significant difference in patients with moderate TSH suppression (TSH 0.10-0.49 mIU/L). TSH suppression in postmenopausal women was not significantly associated with lower femoral neck BMD. Subgroup analysis of the lumbar spine showed that the association between stringent TSH suppression and lower BMD was consistent among studies with >10 years of follow-up (SMD -0.32; 95% CI -0.50 to -0.14). Subgroup analysis of the femoral neck showed that total thyroidectomy was related to detrimental effects on the BMD of the femoral neck (SMD -0.60; 95% CI -0.89 to -0.31; I2=90.4%), but near-total thyroidectomy was not (SMD 0.00; 95% CI -0.30 to 0.30; I2=55.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Stringent TSH suppression had deleterious effects on the BMD of the lumbar spine after thyroidectomy in postmenopausal women. Further studies are needed to determine whether stringent TSH suppression after thyroidectomy increases the fracture risk.

Metabolomic Analysis of the Improvements in Insulin Secretion and Resistance After Sleeve Gastrectomy: Implications of the Novel Biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Large neutral amino acids (LNAAs) and gut microbial metabolites have been linked to insulin secretion and resistance. We investigated whether baseline LNAAs and kynurenine pathway metabolites and changes in tryptophan-derived gut microbial metabolites (TDGMs), such as indole compounds, were associated with improvements in insulin secretion and resistance after sleeve gastrectomy. METHODS: In this prospective single-arm longitudinal study, 23 patients with type 2 diabetes underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Twelve diabetes-related amino acid metabolites were quantified before surgery, and the following three indices were assessed as outcome measures: insulinogenic index, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). We also measured changes in TDGMs, including four indole compounds, 3 months after bariatric surgery. A linear regression model and receiver operating characteristic curves were assessed. RESULTS: The mean age and body mass index of study participants were 41.8 years (standard deviation (SD), 13.1 years) and 38.9 kg/m2 (SD, 5.2 kg/m2), respectively. Several baseline amino acid metabolites were significantly associated with a change in insulin secretion or resistance 3 months after bariatric surgery. Phenylalanine and LNAAs showed superior performance for predicting improvements in insulin secretion and resistance. Among the TDGMs, Δindole-3-propionic acid was significantly associated with the Δinsulinogenic index, and Δindole-3-acetic acid was significantly associated with the ΔHOMA-IR and ΔQUICKI. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore the importance of baseline amino acid profiles, especially those of LNAAs and phenylalanine, and alterations in TDGMs for improving insulin secretion and resistance in the early postoperative period after sleeve gastrectomy.

Predictors of Remission and Relapse of Diabetes after Conventional Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated whether preoperative clinical parameters predict diabetes remission and relapse after conventional gastrectomy for cancer and whether postoperative weight changes influence diabetes remission and relapse. STUDY DESIGN: This study included 5,150 patients with diabetes who underwent gastrectomy for cancer from 2004 to 2014. Diabetes remission was defined in 3 ways, according to postoperative antidiabetic medication and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. Diabetes relapse was defined as reinitiating antidiabetic medication among patients in diabetes remission. RESULTS: Six predictors (higher body mass index [BMI], total gastrectomy, younger age, FPG levels, number of oral hypoglycemic agents [OHAs], and no insulin use) of diabetes remission increased the likelihood of remission by >13-fold (odds ratio [OR], 13.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 8.65‒19.11). Three factors (younger age, lower FPG levels, and use of only 1 OHA) predicted a 58% decreased likelihood of diabetes relapse (hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% CI 0.35‒0.48). The lowest interval of postoperative BMI decrease (<-20%) showed a >3-fold increased likelihood of diabetes remission than the highest interval (≥-5%; OR 3.14; 95% CI 2.08‒4.75), independent of baseline BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Six variables (BMI, type of gastrectomy, age, FPG levels, number of OHAs used, and insulin use/non-use), and 3 variables (age, FPG levels, number of OHAs used) significantly predict diabetes remission and relapse after gastrectomy for cancer, respectively. Greater postoperative weight decrease may increase the likelihood of diabetes remission, independent of baseline weight. Our results may serve as a basis for the establishment of diabetes and weight management strategies after conventional gastrectomy for cancer.