Effect of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on renal function in obese patients

To investigate the clinical efficacy and mechanism of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in improving renal function in obese patients.

We retrospectively reviewed the anthropometric indices (waist circumference, hip circumference and body mass index (BMI)), renal function indices (serum creatinine, urea and urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR)), serum inflammatory indices (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α) and an adipose factor (leptin) in 50 patients with obesity (BMI ≥32.5 kg/m² ) who underwent LSG in our hospital from January 2018 to January 2019.

Patients constituted 23 men and 27 women, with an average age of 32.5 ± 8.7 years and BMI of 43.99 ± 8.29 kg/m² . Body weight and BMI 1 month post-operatively were significantly lower than preoperatively (P < 0.05), and the renal function indices serum creatinine, urea and UACR, improved significantly 3 months post-operatively (P < 0.05). C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-α levels improved significantly 3 months post-operatively (P < 0.05), while leptin levels decreased significantly 1 month post-operatively (P < 0.05). Six months post-operatively, the remission rates for type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnoea syndrome and hypertension were 83.8%, 92.9% and 88.6%, respectively.

LSG led to body weight loss and significantly improved serum creatinine, urea and UACR values in patients with obesity, which may be related to changes in adipocytokines and inflammatory factors, post-operatively. LSG is expected to become a new treatment to prevent or treat renal insufficiency caused by obesity.