Short-term and long-term changes in natriuretic peptide levels after bariatric surgery: a systematic review and...

Bariatric surgery (BS) has demonstrated cardiovascular benefits in patients and was previously proven to be associated with an increased natriuretic peptide level without cardiac dysfunction. However, new studies have emerged, which require us to re-examine the relationship and extent of the correlation between BS, weight loss, and cardiac natriuretic peptide levels. A systematic search was conducted. Twenty-two studies with 1219 patients (33.2% male, 45.5% gastric bypass surgery) were included. The mean differences from baseline of short- and long-term N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels were 52.88 pg/mL (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.30-84.46) and 39.63 pg/mL (95% CI, -92.86 to 13.60). In contrast, a significant increase was observed in B-type natriuretic peptide levels in both the short and long term. BS is associated with increased natriuretic peptide levels without deteriorating cardiac function and improving ejection fraction (mean difference, .06; 95% CI, -1.95 to 2.07), but further studies should investigate its correlation with clinical symptoms and cardiac structural changes.