Sex Effect on Obesity Indices and Metabolic Outcomes in Patients with Obese Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Type 2 Diabetes After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery: a Preliminary Study.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is an effective therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, little attention has been paid to the treatment goals systematically stratified by sex. The objective of this study was to assess how sex differences affect obesity indices and metabolic outcomes after RYGB surgery.

METHODS: A sleep questionnaire was conducted and medical histories were taken. Full-night polysomnography (PSG), anthropometric variables, and blood samples were collected.

RESULTS: Thirty-five consecutive patients with OSA who underwent laparoscopic RYGB surgery were prospectively examined for at least 6 months were included in the study. Significant improvements (p < 0.01) in sleep parameters (except for micro-arousal), obesity indices, and metabolic outcomes [except low-density lipoprotein in men and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in women] were obtained in men and women with OSA. Men had higher baseline triglyceride (TG) (p < 0.01) and lower HDL levels (p < 0.01) but a larger neck circumference (NC) (p = 0.03) at follow-up than did women. However, only TG in men improved more than in women (p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS: Sleep parameters, obesity indices, and metabolic outcomes after RYGB surgery were of similar magnitude in women and men with OSA. Alleviating sleep and obesity problems was correlated with metabolic outcomes in men and women.