Thyroid Function Before and After Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Patients with Obesity

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Bariatric Surgery
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• The impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on thyroid function in obese individuals is not well-understood.
• Obesity is associated with various endocrine and metabolic alterations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changes in thyroid function following LSG in patients with obesity.
• To analyze the correlation between thyroid hormone levels and metabolic/anthropometric parameters post-LSG.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of data from morbidly obese patients with normal baseline thyroid function who underwent LSG.
• Evaluation of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels at 12 months post-surgery.
• Correlation analysis between hormone levels, body mass index (BMI), and other metabolic indicators.

Main Results:

• Significant decreases in FT3 and TSH levels were observed 12 months after LSG (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively).
• Mean FT4 levels showed a significant increase (p = 0.013), and mean iPTH levels decreased (p = 0.011).
• Changes in TSH levels were independently correlated with changes in LDL levels (β = 0.362, p = 0.001), but not with BMI.

Conclusions:

• LSG significantly alters thyroid hormone profiles in euthyroid obese patients, decreasing FT3, TSH, and iPTH while increasing FT4.
• TSH levels post-LSG are influenced by LDL cholesterol, highlighting a complex metabolic interplay.
• Thyroid hormones (FT3, FT4) and iPTH show correlations with vitamin B12, age, and BMI, respectively.