Reynolds EL, Watanabe M, Banerjee M, Chant E, Villegas-Umana E, Elafros MA, Gardner TW, Pop-Busui R, Pennathur S, Feldman EL, Callaghan BC. The effect of surgical weight loss on diabetes complications in individuals with class II/III obesity.
Diabetologia 2023;
66:1192-1207. [PMID:
36917280 PMCID:
PMC10011764 DOI:
10.1007/s00125-023-05899-3]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of bariatric surgery on diabetes complications in individuals with class II/III obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2).
METHODS
We performed a prospective cohort study of participants with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery. At baseline and 2 years following surgery, participants underwent metabolic phenotyping and diabetes complication assessments. The primary outcomes for peripheral neuropathy (PN) were a change in intra-epidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD, units = fibres/mm) at the distal leg and proximal thigh, the primary outcome for cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) was a change in the expiration/inspiration (E/I) ratio, and the primary outcome for retinopathy was a change in the mean deviation on frequency doubling technology testing.
RESULTS
Among 127 baseline participants, 79 completed in-person follow-up (age 46.0 ± 11.3 years [mean ± SD], 73.4% female). Participants lost a mean of 31.0 kg (SD 18.4), and all metabolic risk factors improved except for BP and total cholesterol. Following bariatric surgery, one of the primary PN outcomes improved (IENFD proximal thigh, +3.4 ± 7.8, p<0.01), and CAN (E/I ratio -0.01 ± 0.1, p=0.89) and retinopathy (deviation -0.2 ± 3.0, p=0.52) were stable. Linear regression revealed that a greater reduction in fasting glucose was associated with improvements in retinopathy (mean deviation point estimate -0.7, 95% CI -1.3, -0.1).
CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION
Bariatric surgery may be an effective approach to reverse PN in individuals with obesity. The observed stability of CAN and retinopathy may be an improvement compared with the natural progression of these conditions; however, controlled trials are needed.
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