Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+ T cells), leptin level and weight loss after laparoscopic greater curvature plication in morbidly obese patients

Introduction

The aim of the study was to detect the effect of laparoscopic greater curvature plication (LGCP) on peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes – CD4+ and CD8+ T cells respectively), leptin level and weight loss in morbidly obese patients.

Material and methods

Morbidly obese patients (n = 20, age range: 25–50 years, body mass index (BMI) range: 37–45 kg/m²) who underwent LGCP were enrolled in a prospective study to determine the percentages of their peripheral blood T cells (CD4+ and CD8+) before and 4 months postoperatively using flow cytometry. Also, the level of their leptin before and 4 months postoperatively was established using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data are expressed as the percentage of total lymphocytes ± the standard error of the mean.

Results

A decrease in the BMI and loss of weight (31.20 ±1.2%) were confirmed 4 months postoperatively since BMI was 44.71 ±4.3 (range: 37–45) kg/m² preoperatively, and decreased to 31.80 ±1.1 (range: 24–33) kg/m² after surgery. The mean percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes significantly decreased postoperatively (38.2 ±1.5 before and 29.3 ±2.6 after operation for CD4+, 17.3 ±1.8 preoperatively and 9.5 ±1.7 postoperatively for CD8+, p < 0.05). The mean leptin level was 43.01 ±22.01 preoperatively while postoperatively it was 24.8 ±11.1 (p < 0.05), so the leptin level substantially decreased compared to its preoperative values.

Conclusions

This study found that weight loss after LGCP in morbidly obese patients led to decreases in levels of leptin and circulating immune cells compared to their preoperative values.