David L. Chengelis

Relation between degree of weight loss after bariatric surgery and reduction in albuminuria and C-reactive protein.

BACKGROUND Bariatric surgery achieves long-term weight loss in obese adults with amelioration of diabetes and hypertension. Improvement in albuminuria and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has also been reported. We investigated, at a weight control center in a community hospital setting, the relation between degree of surgical weight loss and reduction in the cardiovascular risk markers, albuminuria and hs-CRP. METHODS We performed a retrospective study of 62 obese adults who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and had a median follow-up of 15 months. RESULTS The baseline (preoperative) mean age was 46 years, 82% were women, 26 had a blood pressure of > or =140/90 mm Hg, and 25 had type 2 diabetes. During follow-up (postoperative), a decrease occurred in the body mass index (mean +/- standard deviation 49.2 +/- 8.7 kg/m(2) to 34.1 +/- 8.1 kg/m(2); P <.0001), excess body weight (mean +/- SD 76.1 +/- 23.6 kg to 34.9 +/- 21.7 kg; P <.0001), hemoglobin A1c (mean +/- SD 6.5% +/- 1.3% to 5.6% +/- 0.8%; P <.0001), systolic blood pressure (mean +/- SD 133.7 +/- 14.3 mm Hg to 112.9 +/- 14.6 mm Hg; P < .0001), urine albumin creatinine ratio (from a median of 8.0 mg/g [interquartile range 5.0-29.3] to a median of 6.0 mg/g [interquartile range 3.3-11.5]; P <.0001), and hs-CRP (mean +/- SD 11.2 +/- 9.8 mg/L to 4.7 +/- 5.9 mg/L; P <.0001). The study sample was divided into tertiles of the percentage of excess body weight loss; the mean percentage of excess body weight loss was -37.1% +/- 5.5% in the first tertile, -54.3% +/- 6.8% in the second tertile, and -75.8% +/- 10.9% in the third tertile. The median percentage of change in albuminuria was greatest (median -52.8%, interquartile range -79.1% to -17.5%) in the third tertile, intermediate (median -45.5%, interquartile range -72.4% to 0%) in the second tertile, and lowest (-42.6%, interquartile range -80.5% to 16.7%) in the first tertile (P = .953). The mean percentage of change in hs-CRP was greatest (-72.4% +/- 30.4%) in the third tertile, intermediate (-55.4% +/- 31.9%) in the second tertile, and lowest (-44.8% +/- 30.6%) in the first tertile (P = .037). CONCLUSION The results of our study have shown that obese adults experience a reduction in albuminuria and hs-CRP after bariatric surgery, with a greater reduction in hs-CRP observed with more surgical weight loss.

Endoscopic Management of Early Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage Following Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH) is an infrequent complication (1–3.8%) following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB). The safety and efficacy of endoscopic management of immediate postoperative bleeding is unknown. We sought to determine how frequently UGIH complicates LRYGB and whether endoscopic management is successful in controlling hemorrhage.METHODS:Retrospective chart review of all patients who developed UGIH following LRYGB from November 2001 to July 2005 at a large suburban teaching hospital.RESULTS:Of 933 patients who underwent LRYGB, 30 (3.2%) developed postoperative UGIH. An endoscopic esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed in 27/30 patients (90%). All were found to have bleeding emanating from the gastrojejunostomy (GJ) staple line. Endoscopic intervention was performed in 24/30 (80%) with epinephrine injection and heater probe cautery being used most commonly. Endoscopic therapy was ultimately successful in controlling all hemorrhage, with 5 patients (17%) requiring a second EGD for rebleeding. No patient required surgery to control hemorrhage. One patient aspirated during the endoscopic procedure with subsequent anoxic encephalopathy and died 5 days postoperatively. Twenty-one patients (70%) developed UGIH in the intraoperative or immediate postoperative period (<4 h postoperative). The mean length of stay was significantly longer in these patients (2.84 vs 4.1, P = 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:(a) UGIH complicates LRYGB in a small but significant number of patients. (b) Bleeding usually occurs at the GJ site. (c) EGD is safe and effective in controlling hemorrhage with standard endoscopic techniques. (d) UGIH occurs most commonly in the immediate postoperative period and may be best managed in the operating room with the patient intubated to prevent aspiration.

Comparative Effectiveness of Unfractionated and Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin for Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism Following Bariatric Surgery

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of 3 predominant venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis strategies among patients undergoing bariatric surgery. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING The Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative, a statewide clinical registry and quality improvement program. PATIENTS Twenty-four thousand seven hundred seventy-seven patients undergoing bariatric surgery between 2007 and 2012. INTERVENTIONS Unfractionated heparin preoperatively and postoperatively (UF/UF), UF heparin preoperatively and low-molecular-weight heparin postoperatively (UF/LMW), and LMW heparin preoperatively and postoperatively (LMW/LMW). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Rates of VTE, hemorrhage, and serious hemorrhage (requiring >4 U of blood products or reoperation) occurring within 30 days of surgery. RESULTS Overall, adjusted rates of VTE were significantly lower for the LMW/LMW (0.25%; P < .001) and UF/LMW (0.29%; P = .03) treatment groups compared with the UF/UF group (0.68%). While UF/LMW (0.22%; P = .006) and LMW/LMW (0.21%; P < .001) were similarly effective in patients at low risk of VTE (predicted risk <1%), LMW/LMW (1.46%; P = .10) seemed more effective than UF/LMW (2.36%; P = .90) for high-risk (predicted risk ≥1%) patients. There were no significant differences in rates of hemorrhage or serious hemorrhage among the treatment strategies. CONCLUSION Low-molecular-weight heparin is more effective than UF heparin for the prevention of postoperative VTE among patients undergoing bariatric surgery and does not increase rates of bleeding.