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Computed Tomography-Based Assessment of Abdominal Adiposity Changes and Their Impact on Metabolic Alterations Following Bariatric Surgery

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Abstract

Background

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of surgically induced weight loss on the abdominal adipose tissue depots and the metabolic profile in morbidly obese (MO) patients.

Methods

The study was performed with a semi-automated quantification of adipose tissue compartments on single-slice abdominal CT series before surgery, 6 and 12 months after bariatric surgery. Thirty-eight MO patients with mean age of 35.7 ± 10.1 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 43.6 ± 6.5 kg/m2 were studied (20 patients underwent gastric banding and 18 patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy). Anthropometric measurements, metabolic and inflammatory parameters were analyzed in each patient.

Results

Markedly decreased levels of total abdominal adipose tissue, abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (AbSAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) at 6 and 12 months were noted in comparison to the preoperative values. The total % reduction of VAT was significant higher in comparison to the total % reduction of AbSAT at 12 months after bariatric surgery (P < 0.01) with the mean ratio of AbSAT/VAT to increase from 4.1 ± 1.7 preoperatively to 6.2 ± 3.1 at 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.001). In addition, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) decreased significantly with weight loss after bariatric surgery and the total abdominal lipid loss was related to the decrease in hsCRP.

Conclusions

Significant changes in abdominal lipid deposition occurred in MO patients 6 and 12 months after bariatric surgery. The changes were significantly, correlated with the magnitude of BMI loss. The fat redistribution may contribute to the improvements in metabolic abnormalities.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Papadakis J.A. for his assistance with the statistical analysis and Dr. Papadakis M. for his assistance with the CT images assessment.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bariatric Unit, Department of Surgical Oncology, Heraklion University Hospital, University of Crete, P.O. Box 1352, 71110, Heraklion, Greece

    Christos G. Galanakis, Markos Daskalakis & John Melissas

  2. Plastic Surgery Unit, Department of Surgical Oncology, Heraklion University Hospital, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

    Andreas Manios

  3. Department of Medical Imaging, Heraklion University Hospital, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

    Argyro Xyda & Apostolos H. Karantanas

Authors
  1. Christos G. Galanakis
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  2. Markos Daskalakis
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  3. Andreas Manios
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  4. Argyro Xyda
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  5. Apostolos H. Karantanas
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  6. John Melissas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Markos Daskalakis.

Additional information

C. Galanakis and M. Daskalakis have contributed equally to this study.

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Galanakis, C.G., Daskalakis, M., Manios, A. et al. Computed Tomography-Based Assessment of Abdominal Adiposity Changes and Their Impact on Metabolic Alterations Following Bariatric Surgery. World J Surg 39, 417–423 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-014-2826-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-014-2826-2

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