BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular and renal diseases represent a major determinant for the morbidity and mortality associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Bariatric surgery is considered one of the few treatments with the potential to reverse cardiovascular, renal and metabolic disease.

METHODS

Prospective study of patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy collecting pre- and post-surgery creatinine, eGFR, glucose, insulin, total, LDL/HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D3, C- Reactive Protein (CRP), blood count, weight, body mass index (BMI), bilateral carotid intima media thickness (IMT), flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT). Measurements were compared at 1 year follow up.

RESULTS

24 patients were included in the study. Cardiovascular parameters, as HDL-cholesterol ( = 0.002), IMT ( = 0.003), EAT ( < 0.001) and FMD ( = 0.001) showed significant improvement after surgery. Secondary renal outcomes including Vitamin D3 ( < 0.0001), Calcium ( = 0.006), RBCs ( = 0.007), HCO3- ( = 0.05) also ameliorated as well as BMI ( < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Sleeve gastrectomy has a positive impact on cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic parameters in patients with morbid obesity, suggesting it may halt the progression of these diseases even in the preclinical stage. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects underlying these improvements.