Are male patients undergoing bariatric surgery less healthy than female patients?

Varying Lamotrigine Concentrations in Patients Following One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Surgery: A Case Series

Objectives: Bariatric surgery, the most effective treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes, may alter the absorption and overall bioavailability of orally administered drugs. In this case series, we present three patients undergoing one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) and their treatment with the anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer lamotrigine. Key Findings: Various mechanisms may be involved in the changes in lamotrigine blood levels following OAGB; some may lead to increased drug exposure, while others to its decrease. It was found that low and insufficient (case 1), higher (case 3), or unchanged (case 2) lamotrigine plasma levels are all possible after the surgery. Conclusion: This case series shows the complexity of drug treatment after bariatric surgery. The potentially large variability among patients in the effect of the surgery on the bioavailability of lamotrigine, a highly prescribed, life-saving medication, highlights the special care that must be taken with post-bariatric pharmacotherapy in general, and epilepsy treatment in particular.

Insights into the neurobiology of weight loss after bariatric surgery and GLP-1R agonists

Obesity and its related complications are growing in prevalence worldwide, with increasing impact to individuals and healthcare systems alike. Currently, the leading treatment approaches for effective and sustained weight loss are bariatric surgery and gut peptide therapeutics. At a high level, both treatment strategies work by hijacking gut-brain axis signaling to reduce food intake. However, we predict that each modality has distinct neuronal mechanisms that are responsible for their success and complications. This review compares the neurobiology of feeding behavior between these two weight loss strategies via a discussion of both clinical and pre-clinical data. The most compelling evidence points to signaling within the hindbrain, hypothalamus, and reward circuits contributing to weight loss. Considerations for treatment, including differing complications between the two treatment approaches, will also be discussed. Based on the data, we pose the hypothesis that these two interventions are acting via distinct mechanisms to induce weight loss. Both interventions have variable degrees of weight loss across the patient population, thus, understanding these distinct mechanisms could help drive individualized medicine to optimize weight loss. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Food intake and feeding states".

Efficacy of One-Anastomosis Gastric Bypass Versus Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) compared with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in patients with obesity. Three databases (Medline, Cochrane Central, and Scopus) were searched for relevant articles published until August 12, 2024. A total of nine randomized controlled trials, including 643 patients, were selected. OAGB was statistically significantly associated with a higher risk of GERD than RYGB (OR = 3.14, 95% CI 1.23-8.03, p < 0.05). The odds for de novo GERD after OAGB are almost six times higher than after RYGB (OR = 5.65, 95% CI 1.53-20.82, p < 0.05). RYGB has a lower incidence of de novo GERD cases and is more effective than OAGB in reducing GERD.

Phenotyping of Obesity Treatment Candidates: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review explores characterizing candidates for obesity treatments including pharmacotherapy, endoscopic bariatric therapies, and metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS), focusing on established clinical parameters for diagnosing obesity beyond body mass index alone.

RECENT FINDINGS

Existing literature primarily provides rates for fat mass percentage (i.e., a marker for adiposity quantity), waist circumference (i.e., a marker for adiposity distribution), and C-reactive protein levels (i.e., a marker for adiposity functionality) among obesity treatment candidates. Limited data on abnormal values and sex-based differentiation exist. The literature indicates high central-tendency measures for fat mass percentage and waist circumference, while C-reactive protein levels vary. Data on the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (i.e., a marker for adiposity-related disease severity) is predominantly available for MBS candidates. Future studies in obesity interventions should improve screening and diagnosis of obesity by incorporating sex-specific considerations and providing abnormal value rates for measurements to enhance understanding of patients' characteristics.

Success Predictors of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty

OBJECTIVE

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a minimally invasive procedure that proved to be safe and effective in obesity treatment. However, not all subjects respond to treatment in the same way, and, with a view to personalized care, it is essential to identify predictors of success or failure.

METHODS

A retrospective 2-year followed-up cohort of ESG subjects was analyzed to investigate the presence of any baseline or early indicators of long-term optimal or suboptimal ESG outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 315 subjects (73% women) were included, with 73% of patients exhibiting an Excess weight loss percentage (%EWL) >25% at the 24 months. Neither demographic parameters (age and sex), smoking habits, and menopause in women nor the presence of comorbidities proved potential predictive value. Interestingly, the %EWL at 1 month after ESG was the strongest predictor of 24-month therapeutic success. Subsequently, we estimated an "early threshold for success" for 1 month-%EWL by employing Youden's index method.

CONCLUSIONS

ESG is a safe and effective bariatric treatment that can be offered to a wide range of subjects. Early weight loss seems to impact long-term ESG results significantly and may allow proper early post-operative care optimization.

Bodily sensations and bariatric surgery: Links between interoceptive sensibility, intuitive and disordered eating behaviour in obesity and obesity surgery

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated interoceptive sensibility, intuitive and disordered eating among bariatric candidates, operated individuals and individuals with obesity seeking non-surgical treatment.

METHOD

We recruited 57 individuals with obesity seeking nonsurgical weight-loss (IOB), 84 bariatric candidates (Pre) and 22 individuals post-bariatric surgery (Post) who responded to questionnaires: Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2), Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Binge Eating Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck's Depression Inventory.

RESULTS

Overall, the Post group manifested higher scores on 'Body-Listening' (F = 4.95, p = 0.01), 'Emotional Awareness' (F = 8.83, p < 0.001) and 'Trusting' (F = 6.71, p = 0.002) interoceptive dimensions, on the IES-2 total score (F = 5.48, p = 0.007) and 'Reliance on hunger and satiety cues' (F = 31.3, p < 0.001) when age was controlled. The IOB group presented higher scores on emotional (F = 3.23, p = 0.047) and binge eating (F = 5.99, p = 0.004). Among operated individuals, intuitive eating mediated the relationship between interoceptive sensibility dimensions and binge eating: 'Attention regulation' (54%) 'Self-regulation' (75.1%), 'Body listening' (94.09%) and 'Trusting' (84.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest the therapeutic potential of interoceptive sensibility and intuitive eating in obesity management in/beyond the bariatric context.