Persistent Correlation of Ghrelin Plasma Levels with Body Mass Index Both in Stable Weight Conditions and during Gastric-bypass-induced Weight Loss

Background  Studies done on serial changes in plasma ghrelin levels after gastric bypass (GBP) have yielded contrasting results since decreased, unchanged, or increased levels have been reported in the literature. This study investigates whether or not GBP has an inhibitory effect on fasting ghrelin levels independently of weight loss. Methods  Fasting ghrelin levels were measured in 115 stable body weight females, classified as normal body weight (NW; body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m²), overweight (OW; BMI 25–30 kg/m²), and obese subjects, divided in three subgroups with increasing BMI (BMI 30–40 kg/m²; BMI 40–50 kg/m²; BMI >50 kg/m²). Results  Each obese subgroup showed significantly lower ghrelin levels as compared to both NW (p < 0.0001) and OW subjects (p < 0.05 or 0.005); however, no significant differences were observed within the three obese subgroups. Forty-nine obese patients underwent a GBP. Plasma ghrelin, measured at 3, 6, and 12 months after GBP, significantly increased from the sixth month on (p < 0.0001). When patients were classified, at each postoperative time point, according to their actual BMI, ghrelin was significantly (p = 0.0002) related to postoperative BMI and not significantly different from ghrelin measured in stable body weight conditions. Conclusions  Fasting ghrelin displays an inversely significant correlation with BMI in both stable body weight conditions and after GBP. No evidence was found that GBP had an effect on fasting ghrelin levels, independent of weight loss.     

The Influence of Obesity on Hospital Admission After Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery

We examined the association of body mass index (BMI) with sociodemographic data, medical comorbidities and hospital admission following ambulatory foot and ankle surgery. We conducted an analysis utilizing data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2007 to 2016. Adult patients who underwent ankle surgery defined as ankle arthrodesis, ankle open reduction and internal fixation, and Achilles tendon repair in the outpatient setting. We examined 6 BMI ranges: <20 kg/m² underweight, ≥20 to <25 kg/m² normal weight, ≥25 to <30 kg/m² overweight, ≥30 to <40 kg/m² obese, ≥40 kg/m²to <50 kg/m² severely obese, and ≥50 kg/m² extremely obese. The primary outcome was hospital admission. We performed multivariable logistic regression and reported odds ratios (OR) and their associated 95% confidence interval (CI) and considered a p value of <.05 as statistically significant. Data extraction yielded 13,454 adult patients who underwent ambulatory ankle surgery. We then performed listwise deletion to exclude cases with missing observations. After excluding 5.4% of the data, the final study population included 12,729 patients. The overall rate of hospital admission was in the population was 18.6% (2,377/12,729). The overall rate of postoperative complications was 0.03% (4/12,729). We found no significant association of BMI with hospital admission following multivariable logistic regression. We recommend that BMI alone should not be solely used to exclude patients from having ankle surgery performed in an outpatient setting, especially since this patient group makes up a significant proportion of orthopedic surgery.     

Analysis of Safety and Efficacy of Intragastric Balloon in Extremely Obese Patients

Background  The implantation of an intragastric balloon constitutes a short-term effective non-surgical intervention to lose weight. The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the clinical outcome and safety of gastric balloon therapy (GBT) in extremely obese patients. Methods  One hundred and nine super- and super-super-obese patients, 64 males and 45 females, mean age 39.1 ± 8.4 years, mean body mass index (BMI) 68.8 ± 8.9 kg/m², who underwent GBT for weight loss, were studied retrospectively. GBT was assessed in massively obese patients concerning tolerance, weight loss, number of comorbidities and complications. Results  A significant reduction in patients’ weight and BMI was evident after GBT. Regarding safety, no major complications occurred. Minor complications at balloon placement and removal occurred in one (0.9%) and three patients (2.8%) respectively. Mean duration of GBT was 177.6 ± 56.8 days. After GBT, the mean weight loss was 26.3 ± 15.2 kg (p < 0.001) and the mean BMI reduction was 8.7 ± 5.1 kg/m² (p < 0.001) representing a mean percentage of excess BMI lost (%EBL) of 19.7 ± 10.2. The highest BMI loss was observed in patients with BMI > 80 kg/m². A noteworthy improvement of comorbidities in 56.8% of the patients was also noted. Of the 109 patients, 69 received subsequent bariatric surgery. All the procedures were performed laparoscopically. Ten patients, with a mean BMI of 68.6 ± 10.6 kg/m² after the removal of the first BIB, received a second BIB resulting in a non-significant weight and BMI loss of 6.3 ± 9.4 kg and 1.8 ± 2.9 kg/m², respectively. Conclusions  Our study indicates the safety and efficacy of GBT in extremely obese patients particularly as a first step before a definitive anti-obesity operation. GBT appears to be a safe, tolerable, and potentially effective procedure for the initial treatment of morbid obesity.     

Comparison of early outcomes for laparoscopic ventral hernia repair between nonobese and morbidly obese patient populations

Background  Obesity predisposes to incisional herniation and increased the incidence of recurrence after conventional open repair. Only sparse data on the safety and security of laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) for morbidly obese patients are available. This study compared the incidence of perioperative complications and early recurrence after LVHR between morbidly obese and non–morbidly obese patients. Methods  The case records of consecutive patients who underwent LVHR between December 2002 and August 2007 were reviewed. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 35 kg/m² were compared with morbidly obesity patients who had a BMI of 35 kg/m² or higher. Results  The study included 168 patients (87 men) with a median age of 55 years (range, 24–92 years). Two conversions to open repair (1.2%) were performed, both for non–morbidly obese patients. Of the 168 patients, 42 (25%) were morbidly obese (BMI range, 35.0–58.0 kg/m²) and 126 (75%) were non–morbidly obese (BMI range, 15.5–34.9 kg/m²). The groups showed no significant differences in age, gender, number or size of fascial defects, operative time, length of hospital stay, or incidence of perioperative complications. At a median follow-up period of 19 months (range, 6–62 months), 20 patients (12%) had recurrent hernias. The incidence of recurrence was significantly associated with the size of the fascial defect and the size of the mesh, but not with morbid obesity. Conclusion  No significant difference in the incidence of perioperative complications or recurrence after LVHR was observed between the morbidly obese patients and the non–morbidly obese patients.     

Effect of the body mass index on outcomes of flexible ureterorenoscopy

The aim of the study to compare outcomes of flexible ureterorenoscopy in patients with different body mass index (BMI) scores and to explore whether the BMI has an effect on outcomes of RIRS. Five hundred and two patients who underwent flexible URS in 3 centers between 2008 and 2012 for the management of single upper urinary tract calculi were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized as normal weight BMI 18.5 to 24.99 kg/m², overweight 25 to 29.99 kg/m², obese 30 to 39.99 kg/m² and morbid obese >40 kg/m².The groups were assessed in terms of demographic parameters including age, gender, stone size, intraoperative and postoperative variables. The mean patient age was 41.3 ± 15.51 (18–81) years and with an average BMI 26.68 ± 5.2 kg/m² (16.64–55.15 kg/m²). Of the patients, 43.2 % had normal weight (NW), 32.2 % were overweight (OW), 21.9 % were obese (O) and 2.5 % were morbidly obese (MO). Stone-free rates after single procedure in NW, OW, O, MO groups were 60.8, 61.7, 73.6, 61.5 %, respectively (p = 0.079). Overall targeted stone-free rates were also similar in four groups (88.9, 90.1, 93.6, 90.4 %, p = 0.586). There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of complications and mean hospitalization time among the groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that flexible URS is a valuable option for the treatment of kidney stone in both obese and non-obese patients. BMI did not influence the postoperative outcomes.     

Body mass index and bone loss among postmenopausal women: the 10-year follow-up of the OSTPRE cohort

Obesity protects against osteoporosis, but the magnitude of this association has been difficult to assess from cross-sectional or short term studies. We examined the time course of bone loss as a function of body mass index (BMI) in early and late postmenopausal women. Our study population (n = 300) was a random sample of the population-based Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention (OSTPRE) Study, Finland. We excluded women without complete BMD results, premenopausal women during the second bone densitometry and women who had used hormone replacement therapy, bisphosphonates or calcitonin. BMI along with femoral neck and spinal bone mineral density (BMD) were assessed three times by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry during a mean follow-up of 10.5 years (SD 0.5). The mean baseline age was 53.6 years (SD 2.8), time since menopause 2.9 years (SD 4.3) and BMI 27.3 kg/m² (SD 4.4). The data was analyzed by linear mixed models. Thus, we were able to approximate the bone loss up to 20 postmenopausal years. To illustrate, a woman with a baseline BMI of 20 kg/m² became osteopenic 2 (spine) and 4 (femoral neck) years after menopause, while obesity (BMI of 30 kg/m²) delayed the incidence of osteopenia by 5 (spine) and 9 (femoral neck) years, respectively. The delay was due to high baseline BMD of the obese, while bone loss rate was similar for both lean and obese subjects. This lean versus obese difference may also be partly due to altered X-ray attenuation due to fat mass.     

Association Between Body Mass Index and Thirty-Day Complications After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Background

Although previous studies have evaluated the effect of obesity on the outcomes of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), most considered obesity as a binary variable. It is important to compare different weight categories and consider body mass index (BMI) as a continuous variable to understand the effects of obesity across the entire range of BMI. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyze the effect of BMI on 30-day readmissions and complications after TKA, considering BMI as both a categorical and a continuous variable.

Does body mass index influence the outcome of midurethral sling procedures for stress urinary incontinence?

Introduction and hypothesis

Whether midurethral sling (MUS) procedures are as effective in obese women as they are in women of normal weight is still a matter of controversy. The objective of this study was to determine if body mass index (BMI) influences the outcome of MUS procedures for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Methods

We searched electronic databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, Web of Science and Ovid evidence-based medicine reviews to identify studies that explored the association between BMI and outcomes of MUS procedures. The studies were rated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale; the meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3 software.

Results

This review included 11 studies, 6 prospective cohort studies and 5 retrospective studies, with a total of 2,846 patients. The objective success rates of MUS in patients with BMI >25 kg/m² (overweight and obese) were lower than in patients with BMI 18.5 – <25 kg/m² (normal weight; RR?=?0.93, 95 % CI 0.89 – 0.97; P?=?0.002). The objective success rates were not significantly different between the overweight group (BMI 25 – <30 kg/m²) and the obese group (BMI ≥30 kg/m²; RR?=?0.95, 95 % CI 0.89 – 1.01; P?=?0.08). There were no significant differences in subjective outcomes among the different BMI groups: BMI ≥25 kg/m² versus 18.5 – <25 kg/m² (RR?=?1.03, 95 % CI 0.97 – 1.10; P?=?0.29), and BMI ≥30 kg/m² versus 25 – <30 kg/m² (RR?=?0.98, 95 % CI 0.92 – 1.04; P?=?0.55).

Conclusions

The objective success rates of MUS were lower in overweight and obese patients; however, the subjective outcomes of MUS were not significantly different among normal weight, overweight and obese patients. The MUS procedure is as effective in obese women as in women of normal weight, and therefore surgeons should not consider BMI >25 kg/m² as a risk factor when discussing the suitability of the MUS procedure in a patient with SUI.

     

The impact of body mass index on semen parameters in infertile men

This hospital‐based, prospective study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and various semen parameters in infertile men. A total of 439 men presented for infertility evaluation were assessed by basic infertility evaluation measures including semen analysis and BMI calculation. The main outcome measure was the relationship between BMI groups [BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg/m² (normal weight), 25–29.9 kg/m² (overweight) and ≥30 kg/m² (obese)] and different semen parameters [volume, concentration, motility and morphology]. The mean BMI was 29.67 ± 5.89. Most of patients (82.91%) were overweight or obese. The 3 BMI groups were comparable in semen parameters (P > 0.05). BMI had a negative correlation with various semen parameters. However, this correlation was significant only with sperm concentration (P = 0.035). We concluded that sperm concentration was the only semen parameter which showed significant reduction with higher BMI in infertile men.     

Metabolic Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes with BMI <35 kg/m2

Is bariatric surgery as primary therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with body mass index (BMI) <35 kg/m² justified? Open-label studies have shown that bariatric surgery causes remission of diabetes in some patients with BMI <35 kg/m². All such patients treated had substantial weight loss. Diabetes remission was less likely in patients with lower BMI than those with higher BMI, in patients with longer than shorter duration and in patients with lesser than greater insulin reserve. Relapse of diabetes increases with time after surgery and weight regain. Deficiencies of data are lack of randomized long-term studies comparing risk/benefit of bariatric surgery to contemporary intensive medical therapy. Current data do not justify bariatric surgery as primary therapy for T2DM with BMI <35 kg/m².     

Left Ventricular Assist Device in Patients With Body Mass Index Greater Than 30 as Bridge to Weight Loss and Heart Transplant Candidacy

IntroductionIn obese patients with heart failure, weight reduction may be difficult due to physical restrictions, but may be necessary to achieve heart transplant candidacy. We report the outcomes of obese patients who underwent implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) using a pulsatile (HeartMate XVE [XVE]) or continuous flow (HeartMate II [HMII]) design and the effect on body mass index (BMI).MethodsOf 37 patients with BMI >30 kg/m² who underwent LVAD implantation, 29 survived at least 30 days and were followed for weight change. In the 30-day survivors, end points of the study were continued LVAD support, heart transplant, or death. One patient underwent gastric bypass surgery and was excluded.ResultsIn the 28 patients who met inclusion criteria, BMI was 35.6 ± 4.4 kg/m² at baseline, and at follow-up was 33.1 ± 5.5 kg/m² (mean BMI change ?2.5 kg/m²; P = .063), with a mean follow-up time of 301.6 ± 255.5 days. The XVE group showed a significant BMI reduction of 3.9 kg/m² (P = .016 vs baseline); however, the HMII group showed 0.1 kg/m² increase in BMI. BMI <30 kg/m² at follow-up was achieved in 6 patients (21%), 5 of 19 (26%) in XVE group, and 1 of 9 (11%) in HMII group. In the 14 patients (12 XVE, 2 HMII) or 50% who received a heart transplant, the mean decrease in BMI was 4.6 kg/m² (P = .003).ConclusionsLVAD placement in patients with BMI >30 kg/m² provided significant weight loss in the pulsatile XVE group, but not in recipients of the continuous flow HMII. In patients successfully bridged to a heart transplant after LVAD insertion, mean reduction in BMI was 4.6 kg/m² (P = .003). LVAD implantation provides a period of hemodynamic support for obese patients with advanced heart failure, during which time opportunity may be available for weight loss. Pulsatile devices appear to be associated with greater weight loss than nonpulsatile continuous flow devices. Additional therapies may be necessary to achieve significant weight loss in recipients of the continuous flow LVAD.     

Effect of Prophylactic Dalteparin on Anti-factor Xa Levels in Morbidly Obese Patients After Bariatric Surgery

Background

There are limited data on appropriate dosing of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in bariatric surgery. The objective of this study was to describe the postoperative effects of LMWH dalteparin on anti-factor Xa (AFXa) level in morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Methods

This was a retrospective study. Morbidly obese patients (BMI?≥?40 kg/m² or BMI?>?35 kg/m² with at least one significant co-morbidity) received subcutaneous dalteparin 7,500 IU daily during the postoperative period after biliopancreatic derivation with duodenal switch. AFXa level was measured 4 h after the fourth dalteparin administration.

Results

One hundred and thirty-five patients with a mean BMI of 53.7 kg/m² were included into this study. Only 60% of patients had targeted AFXa levels (0.2–0.5 UI/ml). There was a statistical difference in body weight between individuals with sub-target AFXa levels and those with values over target (159.4?±?35.8 vs. 134.6?±?24.2, p?=?0.0310). There were three haemorrhages documented. These events were not associated with elevated AFXa values.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that the 7,500 IU dalteparin dosage is appropriate for the majority of morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The present study, however, suggests that this dose might not be sufficient for patient with a very high body weight.     

Preparation of Extremely Obese Patients for Laparoscopic Gastric Banding by Gastric Balloon Therapy

Background: In super, super obese patients (body mass index [BMI] >60), especially those with extreme intra-abdominal fat deposition, the technical difficulties in laparoscopic procedures increase. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether gastric balloon therapy (GBT) can improve the operative conditions for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) in extremely obese patients. Materials and Methods: From April 1995 to August 1998, 196 LAGBs were performed. In 15 patients (7 female and 8 male), median age 38.8 years (range 17-54), who had been selected as suitable candidates for bariatric surgery, preoperative GBT was studied. Fourteen patients were extremely obese (BMI 60.2 kg/m² [range 58-72]). One 17-year-old boy with BMI 46.6 kg/m² was also treated. The Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) was used. The placement, the volume modification, and the removal of the BIB were performed endoscopically. Close follow-up was possible in 14 patients. After balloon removal, 13 patients underwent LAGB. Results: In 14 of 15 cases, GBT was successful. There was only one ballon dysfunction. The mean weight loss was 18.1 kg, and the median duration of balloon therapy was 16.8 weeks. After balloon removal, body weight started to increase. Conclusions: In our experience, the gastric balloon can improve the conditions for laparoscopic surgery in super and in super, super obese patients. There was no conversion to open surgery. The effect of weight loss is much less than immediately after LAGB. However, after failure of all conservative treatments to reduce the preoperative body weight, the GBT seems to be the last possibility.     

Waist Circumference and Related Anthropometric Indices Are Associated with Metabolic Traits in Severely Obese Subjects

Increased waist circumference (WC) and related anthropometric indices have been shown to be, independently of body weight and body mass index (BMI), associated with adverse metabolic traits in many populations. It is unknown, however, whether WC also predicts adverse metabolic traits in severely obese subjects displaying a BMI greater than 35 kg/m². To address this question, we analyzed a dataset including 838 severely obese patients (597 women, BMI 44.6?±?6.2 kg/m²; 241 men, BMI 44.3?±?5.7 kg/m²). Body weight, height, WC, hip circumference, and blood pressure were measured in all subjects along with the following metabolic blood markers: fasting glucose, insulin, glycolized hemoglobin levels, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low- and high-density cholesterol, and uric acid. Multivariate regression analyses indicated that WC as well as related anthropometric indices, in particular those accounting for subjects’ height, were associated with many metabolic variables independently of body weight and BMI. In general, height-adjusted WC indices were more closely associated with metabolic traits in women than in men. Collectively, our findings suggest that body fat distribution also plays an important role in determining metabolic traits in severely obese subjects and that WC represents a valuable marker of abdominal/visceral obesity in this population.     

Use of thromboelastography to assess the combined role of pregnancy and obesity on coagulation: a prospective study

BackgroundThromboelastography (TEG®) is a point of care monitor of whole blood coagulation and has previously demonstrated hypercoagulability in both pregnant and obese populations. However, the individual and combined contribution of pregnancy and obesity on coagulation status has not been defined. We carried out a study to assess the effect of both pregnancy and body mass index (BMI) on blood coagulation using laboratory tests of coagulation and thromboelastography.MethodsThis was a prospective study of 96 women divided into four equal groups; non-pregnant lean (NPL) BMI <25 kg/m², pregnant lean (PL) BMI <25 kg/m², non-pregnant obese (NPO) BMI >35 kg/m² and pregnant obese (PO) BMI >35 kg/m². Women were of either >36 weeks of gestation presenting for elective caesarean delivery; non-pregnant women with BMI >35 kg/m² presenting for bariatric surgery; or non-pregnant volunteers with BMI <25 kg/m². Eligible women were then allocated to a group based on BMI and pregnancy status. TEG® analysis, full blood count and coagulation profiles were performed on all patients. The main outcome measures were TEG® profile (including r time, k time, α angle, maximum amplitude and coagulation index), platelet count, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and fibrinogen levels.ResultsThe coagulation index was significantly higher in the obese patient groups compared with the lean groups (NPL −4.5 vs. NPO 1.9, P < 0.001; PL −4.3 vs. PO 2.5, P < 0.001). However, comparisons between the pregnant and non-pregnant groups when matched for BMI demonstrated no significant difference in coagulation.ConclusionsThe combined effect of pregnancy and obesity on coagulation has not previously been investigated. Thromboelastographic comparison of pregnant and non-pregnant females separated into low or high BMI cohorts in the current study suggests that obesity correlates more with a hypercoagulable state than with pregnancy, particularly in pregnant patients at the extremes of low and high body weight.     

Is BMI greater than 60 kg/m2 a predictor of higher morbidity after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass?

Background  

It has been hypothesized that patients who are super-supermorbidly obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 60 kg/m² or higher, have an increased rate of postoperative complications. As surgical techniques and operator experience with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass improved with time, the selection criteria have expanded to include the super-supermorbidly obese. We hypothesize that a higher BMI does not predict a higher postoperative complication rate.     

Outcomes of the overweight and obese major trauma patient in the rural setting

PurposeOverweight and obese patients are more prevalent in rural and remote areas and are of major public health concern in Australia. We aimed to evaluate the mortality and morbidity of overweight and obese trauma patients in the rural Australian context.MethodThis was a retrospective cohort study on 207 major trauma patients (injury severity score [ISS] > 12) treated at the Mackay Base Hospital between 2018 and 2021. Data was extracted from the Mackay Base Hospital trauma database and hospital records. Outcomes were compared between body mass index (BMI) groups.ResultsThere were 164 males (79%) and 43 females (21%). The average BMI was 27.09 (standard deviation 5.46). 7 patients (3%) were in the underweight category (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²), 70 (34%) were of normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m²), 79 (38%) were overweight (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m²), and 51 (25%) were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²). The majority of trauma was blunt (n = 203, 98%). Compared to patients with normal BMI, obese patients were significantly more likely to require intubation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and have a longer ICU stay. There were no significant differences in requirement for surgery, duration of surgery, hospital length of stay, ventilator time, or mortality (P > 0.05). However, subgroup analysis of the obese patient group showed an increased rate of complications (sepsis, acute kidney injury, fluid overload and pneumonia), longer ventilation times, hospital and ICU length of stay with increasing BMI in these patients.ConclusionThe majority of trauma presentations in our regional community are in overweight or obese patients. Overweight and obese patients are more likely to require intubation and have a longer intensive care unit admission than normal weight counterparts. Amongst obese patients, those with BMI > 40 (obesity class 3) are at significantly increased risk of complications.     

Perioperative Outcomes of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding in Mildly Obese (BMI < 35 kg/m<Superscript>2</Superscript>) Compared to Severely Obese

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) has become a standard restrictive procedure in the USA for the treatment of severe obesity (body mass index, BMI > 35 kg/m²). Mildly obese individuals (BMI < 35 kg/m²) are also at increased risk from obesity-related conditions. Recently, an FDA panel supported its use in this subgroup. We compared the perioperative outcomes of LAGB in mildly and severely obese. Thirty consecutive patients (mildly obese n = 10; severely obese n = 20) that underwent preoperative medical weight loss followed by LAGB procedures were prospectively evaluated. Outcome variables included: operative room (OR) time, intraoperative estimated blood loss (EBL), length of hospital (LOS), and intensive care unit (ICU) stay, reoperations, readmissions, 30-day morbidity and mortality. Demographic data was comparable between groups. BMI was significantly higher in the severely obese compared to mildly obese (44.0 ± 5 vs. 33.6 ± 1 kg/m²). OR time, EBL, LOS, and ICU admissions were similar between BMI groups. There were no reoperations or 30-day mortality in either group. Minor morbidity was only observed in the severely obese group. BMI correlated with OR time and EBL. In mildly obese, LAGB is as safe as in the severely obese with no perioperative morbidity. The perioperative outcomes and hospital resource utilization are comparable between BMI groups. Lower BMI is associated with lower operative times and blood loss.     

The association between body mass index and immunohistochemical subtypes in breast cancer

BackgroundBody mass index (BMI) is defined as a poor prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer (BC). However, there are controversial results regarding the various effects of BMI on BC, hence the exact pathophysiology of the relation between obesity and BC is still under debate, and remains unclear. This paper aims to investigate the association between BMI at presentation and BC subtypes defined according to the immunohistochemical classification in both premenopausal and postmenopausal patients with BC.Patients and methodsThis study is a retrospective and explorative analysis of the 3767 female BC patients from a single center. All patients' BMI at the time of initial diagnosis and tumor demographics were recorded. BMI was stratified into 3 groups as normal-weighted (BMI <25 kg/m²), over-weighted (BMI = 25–29.9 kg/m²), and obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m²). Immunohistochemical classification of the tumors was categorized into 4 groups as follows; luminal-like, HER2/luminal-like, HER2-like, and triple-negative according to the ER/PR and HER2 status. Distribution of Immunohistochemical subtypes, tumor characteristics, and overall survival (OS) analysis were evaluated according to the BMI groups in both premenopausal and postmenopausal patients.ResultsMedian BMI of premenopausal and postmenopausal patients was 25.5 (kg/m²) and 28.8 (kg/m²), respectively (P < 0.001). In parallel with the increasing age, patients were more obese at diagnosis in both premenopausal (P < 0.001) and postmenopausal period (P < 0.001). Triple-negative subtype was significantly more frequent in premenopausal patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m² compared to BMI <30 kg/m² (P = 0.007). Additionally, premenopausal patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m² had less common luminal-like subtype (P = 0.033) and more frequently presented with higher tumor stage (P = 0.012) and tumor grade (P = 0.004) compared to patients with BMI <25 kg/m². On the other hand, premenopausal patients with BMI <25 kg/m² had significantly more ER-positive tumors (P < 0.001) and lower stages of disease (P = 0.01) compared to their counterparts with BMI ≥25 kg/m². Premenopausal obese patients with triple-negative (P = 0.001) and luminal-like subtype (P = 0.002) had significantly shorter OS duration compared to overweight counterparts. HER2/luminal-like subtype was found to be significantly greater in postmenopausal overweight patients (P = 0.005). However, BMI had no any other significant effect on survival and immunohistochemical subtypes in postmenopausal patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that triple-negative subtype, grade III tumor, BMI ≥30 kg/m², T3–4 (P < 0.001), nodal involvement, metastatic disease, and lymphovascular involvement were significantly associated with poorer OS.ConclusionOur data indicated that BMI was an independent factor in patients with BC, with an association indicating a decreased incidence for luminal-like subtype and increased incidence for triple-negative subtype among premenopausal patients. However, this significance was not found in postmenopausal patients. Accordingly, a plausible etiological heterogeneity in BC might play a role among immunohistochemical subtypes in every life stage of women.     

Outcome Following Bariatric Surgery in Super versus Morbidly Obese Patients: Does Weight Matter?

Background: Numerous investigators have attempted to identify prognostic indicators for successful outcome following bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether degree of obesity affects outcome in super obese [>225% ideal body weight (IBW)] versus morbidly obese patients (160-225% IBW) undergoing gastric restrictive/bypass procedures. Methods: Since 1984, 157 patients underwent either gastric bypass or vertical banded gastroplasty. Super obese (78) and morbidly obese (79) patients were followed prospectively, documenting outcome and complications. Results: Super obese patients reached maximum weight loss 3 years following bariatric surgery, exhibiting a decrease in body mass index (BMI) from 61 to 39 kg/m² and an average loss of 42% excess body weight (EBW). Morbidly obese patients had a decrease in BMI from 44 to 31 kg/m² and carried 39% EBW at 1 year. After their respective nadirs, each group began to regain the lost weight with the super obese exhibiting a current BMI of 45 kg/m² (61% EBW) versus 34 kg/m² (52% EBW) in the morbidly obese at 72 months cumulative follow-up. Currently, loss of 50% or more of EBW occurred in 53% of super obese patients versus 72% of morbidly obese (P < 0.01). Twenty-six percent of super obese patients returned to within 50% of ideal body weight (IBW) while 71% of morbidly obese were able to reach this goal (P < 0.01). Co-morbidities and complications related to surgery were similar in each group. Conclusions: Super obese patients have a greater absolute weight loss after bariatric surgery than do morbidly obese patients. Using commonly utilized measures of success based on weight, morbidly obese patients tend to have better outcomes following bariatric surgery.