Article
Impact of sleeve gastrectomy on fatty liver disease in obese patients
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Published: | April 23, 2012 |
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Introduction: The benefits of sleeve gastrectomy on weight reduction, diabetes, and hypertension in obese patients are well known and have been subject to extensive research over the past decade. Obese patients are very often presented with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is currently the commonest liver disease worldwide. However, little research on sleeve gastrectomy and its effect on fatty liver disease has been done. This study was thus designed to assess the impact of sleeve gastrectomy on liver enzymes associated with NAFLD.
Materials and methods: Twenty-one consecutive patients (15 female, median BMI 44 kg/m2, range 40-59kg/m2, median age 48, range 20-58) who underwent sleeve gastrectomy were included in this retrospective analysis. The status of the liver was assessed with laboratory values, such as AST, ALT, LDH, GGT, AP, bilirubin and albumin, both preoperatively and twelve months after surgery.
Results: While AST (33 ± 15 U/l vs. 20 ± 8 U/l), ALT (45 ± 31 U/l vs. 18 ± 10 U/l), LDH (229 ± 85 U/l vs.162 ± 17 U/l) and GGT (44 ± 48 U/l vs. 19 ± 10 U/l) significantly decreased after sleeve gastrectomy, the values of AP (77 ± 23 U/l vs. 73 ± 20 U/l), bilirubin (0.47 ± 0.11 mg/dl vs. 0.45 ± 0.16 mg/dl) and albumin (46 ± 3 g/l vs. 43 ± 4 g/l) showed no significant difference.
Conclusion: Sleeve gastrectomy decreases hepatic enzymes associated with NAFLD in obese patients, suggesting an improved integrity of the liver.