Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the most common liver disease, and it is expected to become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease in the near future. Bariatric operations have beneficial effects on NAFLD, inducing histological resolution of liver damage through weight loss-dependent and weight loss-independent mechanisms. Due to lack of randomized controlled trials, no specific guidelines have been established so far. Yet there is growing evidence that NAFLD will eventually become a formal indication for metabolic surgery. Data regarding the choice of procedure are conflicting, although gastric bypass seems to be slightly superior to sleeve gastrectomy. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the ongoing research regarding the role of metabolic surgery in NAFLD management.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chalasani N, Younossi Z, Lavine JE, et al. The diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: practice guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Hepatology. 2018;67:328–57.
European Association for the Study of the L, European Association for the Study of D and European Association for the Study of O. EASL-EASD-EASO clinical practice guidelines for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Hepatol. 2016;64:1388–402.
Younossi Z, Henry L. Contribution of alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to the burden of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Gastroenterology. 2016;150:1778–85.
Esquivel CM, Garcia M, Armando L, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy resolves NAFLD: another formal indication for bariatric surgery? Obes Surg. 2018;28:4022–33.
Clanton J, Subichin M. The effects of metabolic surgery on fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Surg Clin North Am. 2016;96:703–15.
Younossi Z, Stepanova M, Ong JP, et al. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is the fastest growing cause of hepatocellular carcinoma in liver transplant candidates. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;S1542–3565(18)30611–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cgh.2018.05.057.
Eslam M, Valenti L, Romeo S. Genetics and epigenetics of NAFLD and NASH: clinical impact. J Hepatol. 2018;68:268–79.
Fried M, Yumuk V, Oppert JM, et al. Interdisciplinary European guidelines on metabolic and bariatric surgery. Obes Facts. 2013;6:449–68.
Aguilar-Olivos NE, Almeda-Valdes P, Aguilar-Salinas CA, et al. The role of bariatric surgery in the management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and metabolic syndrome. Metabolism. 2016;65:1196–207.
Chitturi S, Wong VW, Chan WK, et al. The Asia-Pacific working party on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease guidelines 2017-part 2: management and special groups. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;33:86–98.
Neuschwander-Tetri BA, Clark JM, Bass NM, et al. Clinical, laboratory and histological associations in adults with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Hepatology. 2010;52:913–24.
Bravo AA, Sheth SG, Chopra S. Liver biopsy. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:495–500.
Boyum JH, Atwell TD, Schmit GD, et al. Incidence and risk factors for adverse events related to image-guided liver biopsy. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91:329–35.
Hedderich DM, Hasenberg T, Haneder S, et al. Effects of bariatric surgery on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: magnetic resonance imaging is an effective, non-invasive method to evaluate changes in the liver fat fraction. Obes Surg. 2017;27:1755–62.
Schwenger KJP, Fischer SE, Jackson T, et al. In nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improves liver histology while persistent disease is associated with lower improvements in waist circumference and glycemic control. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2018;14(9):1233–1239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2018.06.007.
Chou R, Wasson N. Blood tests to diagnose fibrosis or cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158:807–20.
Klebanoff MJ, Corey KE, Chhatwal J, et al. Bariatric surgery for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: a clinical and cost-effectiveness analysis. Hepatology. 2017;65:1156–64.
Rubino F, Nathan DM, Eckel RH, et al. Metabolic surgery in the treatment algorithm for type 2 diabetes: a joint statement by international diabetes organizations. Diabetes Care. 2016;39:861–77.
Singh T, Kochhar GS, Goh GB, et al. Safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in patients with advanced fibrosis. Int J Obes. 2017;41:443–9.
Kalinowski P, Paluszkiewicz R, Ziarkiewicz-Wroblewska B, et al. Liver function in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease randomized to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass versus sleeve gastrectomy: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Ann Surg. 2017;266:738–45.
Jan A, Narwaria M, Mahawar KK. A systematic review of bariatric surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis. Obes Surg. 2015;25:1518–26.
Rebibo L, Gerin O, Verhaeghe P, et al. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in patients with NASH-related cirrhosis: a case-matched study. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2014;10:405–10. quiz 565
Alli V, Rogers AM. Gastric bypass and influence on improvement of NAFLD. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2017;19:25.
Mathurin P, Hollebecque A, Arnalsteen L, et al. Prospective study of the long-term effects of bariatric surgery on liver injury in patients without advanced disease. Gastroenterology. 2009;137:532–40.
Garg H, Aggarwal S, Shalimar YR, et al. Utility of transient elastography (fibroscan) and impact of bariatric surgery on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in morbidly obese patients. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2018;14:81–91.
Aldoheyan T, Hassanain M, Al-Mulhim A, et al. The effects of bariatric surgeries on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Surg Endosc. 2017;31:1142–7.
Lassailly G, Caiazzo R, Buob D, et al. Bariatric surgery reduces features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in morbidly obese patients. Gastroenterology. 2015;149:379–88. quiz e315–376
Parker BM, Wu J, You J, et al. Reversal of fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatosis after gastric bypass surgery. BMC Obes. 2017;4:32.
Taitano AA, Markow M, Finan JE, et al. Bariatric surgery improves histological features of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis. J Gastrointest Surg. 2015;19:429–36. discussion 436-427
Vargas V, Allende H, Lecube A, et al. Surgically induced weight loss by gastric bypass improves non alcoholic fatty liver disease in morbid obese patients. World J Hepatol. 2012;4:382–8.
Silverman EM, Sapala JA, Appelman HD. Regression of hepatic steatosis in morbidly obese persons after gastric bypass. Am J Clin Pathol. 1995;104:23–31.
Kral JG, Thung SN, Biron S, et al. Effects of surgical treatment of the metabolic syndrome on liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Surgery. 2004;135:48–58.
Moretto M, Kupski C, da Silva VD, et al. Effect of bariatric surgery on liver fibrosis. Obes Surg. 2012;22:1044–9.
Keshishian A, Zahriya K, Willes EB. Duodenal switch has no detrimental effects on hepatic function and improves hepatic steatohepatitis after 6 months. Obes Surg. 2005;15:1418–23.
Mattar SG, Velcu LM, Rabinovitz M, et al. Surgically-induced weight loss significantly improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and the metabolic syndrome. Ann Surg. 2005;242:610–7. discussion 618-620
Mottin CC, Moretto M, Padoin AV, et al. Histological behavior of hepatic steatosis in morbidly obese patients after weight loss induced by bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2005;15:788–93.
Stratopoulos C, Papakonstantinou A, Terzis I, et al. Changes in liver histology accompanying massive weight loss after gastroplasty for morbid obesity. Obes Surg. 2005;15:1154–60.
Weiner RA. Surgical treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Dig Dis. 2010;28:274–9.
Tai CM, Huang CK, Hwang JC, et al. Improvement of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease after bariatric surgery in morbidly obese Chinese patients. Obes Surg. 2012;22:1016–21.
Liu X, Lazenby AJ, Clements RH, et al. Resolution of nonalcoholic steatohepatits after gastric bypass surgery. Obes Surg. 2007;17:486–92.
Furuya Jr CK, de Oliveira CP, de Mello ES, et al. Effects of bariatric surgery on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: preliminary findings after 2 years. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007;22:510–4.
de Almeida SR, Rocha PR, Sanches MD, et al. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improves the nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) of morbid obesity. Obes Surg. 2006;16:270–8.
Barker KB, Palekar NA, Bowers SP, et al. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006;101:368–73.
Clark JM, Alkhuraishi AR, Solga SF, et al. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improves liver histology in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Obes Res. 2005;13:1180–6.
Csendes A, Smok G, Burgos AM. Histological findings in the liver before and after gastric bypass. Obes Surg. 2006;16:607–11.
Schneck AS, Anty R, Patouraux S, et al. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass results in long-term remission of hepatocyte apoptosis and hepatic histological features of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Front Physiol. 2016;7:344.
Ooi GJ, Burton PR, Doyle L, et al. Effects of bariatric surgery on liver function tests in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Obes Surg. 2017;27:1533–42.
Ruiz-Tovar J, Alsina ME, Alpera MR, et al. Improvement of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in morbidly obese patients after sleeve gastrectomy: association of ultrasonographic findings with lipid profile and liver enzymes. Acta Chir Belg. 2017;117:363–9.
Jimenez LS, Mendonca Chaim FH, Mendonca Chaim FD, et al. Impact of weight regain on the evolution of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a 3-year follow-up. Obes Surg. 2018;28:3131–5.
Algooneh A, Almazeedi S, Al-Sabah S, et al. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease resolution following sleeve gastrectomy. Surg Endosc. 2016;30:1983–7.
Alizai PH, Wendl J, Roeth AA, et al. Functional liver recovery after bariatric surgery—a prospective cohort study with the LiMAx test. Obes Surg. 2015;25:2047–53.
Cazzo E, Jimenez LS, Pareja JC, et al. Effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease evaluated through NAFLD fibrosis score: a prospective study. Obes Surg. 2015;25:982–5.
Burza MA, Romeo S, Kotronen A, et al. Long-term effect of bariatric surgery on liver enzymes in the Swedish obese subjects (SOS) study. PLoS One. 2013;8:e60495.
Karcz WK, Krawczykowski D, Kuesters S, et al. Influence of sleeve gastrectomy on NASH and type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Obes. 2011;2011:765473.
Motamedi MAK, Khalaj A, Mahdavi M, et al. Longitudinal comparison of the effect of gastric bypass to sleeve gastrectomy on liver function in a bariatric cohort: Tehran obesity treatment study (TOTS). Obes Surg. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-018-3537-9.
Luo RB, Suzuki T, Hooker JC, et al. How bariatric surgery affects liver volume and fat density in NAFLD patients. Surg Endosc. 2018;32:1675–82.
Wang JZ, Cao HX, Chen JN, et al. PNPLA3 rs738409 underlies treatment response in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. World J Clin Cases. 2018;6:167–75.
Krawczyk M, Jimenez-Aguero R, Alustiza JM, et al. PNPLA3 p.I148M variant is associated with greater reduction of liver fat content after bariatric surgery. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2016;12:1838–46.
Ekstedt M, Franzen LE, Holmqvist M, et al. Alcohol consumption is associated with progression of hepatic fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2009;44:366–74.
Musso G, Cassader M, Rosina F, et al. Impact of current treatments on liver disease, glucose metabolism and cardiovascular risk in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. Diabetologia. 2012;55:885–904.
Tan CH, Al-Kalifah N, Lee WJ, et al. HSCRP as surrogate marker in predicting long term effect of bariatric surgery on resolution of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Asian J Surg. 2018;42(1):203–208.
von Schonfels W, Beckmann JH, Ahrens M, et al. Histologic improvement of NAFLD in patients with obesity after bariatric surgery based on standardized NAS (NAFLD activity score). Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2018;14(10):1607–1616.
Nickel F, Tapking C, Benner L, et al. Bariatric surgery as an efficient treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a prospective study with 1-year follow-up : BariScan study. Obes Surg. 2018;28:1342–50.
Froylich D, Corcelles R, Daigle C, et al. Effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a comparative study. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2016;12:127–31.
Billeter AT, Senft J, Gotthardt D, et al. Combined non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus: sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass?-a controlled matched pair study of 34 patients. Obes Surg. 2016;26:1867–74.
Praveen Raj P, Gomes RM, Kumar S, et al. The effect of surgically induced weight loss on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in morbidly obese Indians: “NASHOST” prospective observational trial. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2015;11:1315–22.
Caiazzo R, Lassailly G, Leteurtre E, et al. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass versus adjustable gastric banding to reduce nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a 5-year controlled longitudinal study. Ann Surg. 2014;260:893–8. discussion 898-899
Dixon JB, Bhathal PS, O’Brien PE. Weight loss and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: falls in gamma-glutamyl transferase concentrations are associated with histologic improvement. Obes Surg. 2006;16:1278–86.
Chavez-Tapia NC, Tellez-Avila FI, Barrientos-Gutierrez T, et al. Bariatric surgery for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in obese patients. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;(1):CD007340.
Aminian A, Brethauer SA, Kirwan JP, et al. How safe is metabolic/diabetes surgery? Diabetes Obes Metab. 2015;17:198–201.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical Statement
This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by authors.
Consent Statement
For this type of study, formal consent is not required.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Perysinakis, I., Pappis, H.C. & Margaris, E. Current Controversies in Metabolic Surgery for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. OBES SURG 29, 1058–1067 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-019-03705-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-019-03705-x