The impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on plasma obestatin and ghrelin levels.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on the levels of obestatin and ghrelin hormones and body mass index (BMI) in morbidly obese patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 30 morbidly obese patients who had LSG. Five cc blood samples were taken from the patients preoperatively and at postoperative months 3 and 6. After serum extraction, the levels of obestatin and ghrelin hormones and the levels of fasting insulin and glucose were studied using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score was calculated. Preoperative and postoperative 3- and 6-month BMI were calculated. Kruskal-Wallis Analysis of Variance, Bonferroni-Dunn Test, Spearman's correlation test, and Pearson's correlation test were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: BMI of the patients were statistically significantly reduced at postoperative months 3 and 6 compared to preoperative values, and at postoperative month 3 compared to month 6 values (p < 0.001). Ghrelin values were higher at postoperative month 6 compared to the preoperative and postoperative month 3 values (p < 0.001). Obestatin values of the patients were lower at postoperative month 6 compared to the preoperative and postoperative month3 values (p < 0.001). Insulin and glucose values were statistically significantly lower at postoperative months 3 and 6 compared to preoperative values (p < 0.001), whereas there was no difference between months 3 and 6. HOMA-IR score was significantly lower at postoperative month 3 compared to preoperative values (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: LSG enables effective weight loss and glucose regulation in obese patients. LSG has also effects on obestatin and ghrelin hormones, which are coded by the same gene and have opposing effects, and the associated mechanisms of which are still controversial. Obestatin produces a feeling of satiety, whereas ghrelin initiates eating by producing a feeling of hunger. The patients were observed to have increased ghrelin and reduced obestatin postoperatively due to a negative energy balance.