Favorable Changes in Arterial Elasticity, Left Ventricular Mass, and Diastolic Function After Significant Weight Loss Following Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Obese Individuals

Obesity is accompanied by increased arterial stiffness, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction, all associated with a negative prognosis. The evolution of LV mass, function, and arterial elasticity after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) was unknown, and this is what we have investigated.

Thirty-four consecutive obese subjects (mean age, 39 ± 11 years; 35.2 % men), scheduled for LSG, were studied before, at 6 and 12 months after surgery.

The body mass index (BMI) decreased from 43.6 ± 11.9 to 32.1 ± 7.4 and to 28.9 ± 5.8 kg/m² at 6 and 12 months after surgery (all p < 0.05). The baseline LV mass index was correlated with age, BMI, waist circumference, blood glucose level, systemic hypertension stage, and with aortic distensibility, strain, and stiffness index (all p < 0.05). Aortic distensibility increased by 110 %, aortic strain by 58 %, and aortic stiffness index decreased by 88 % at 6 months after LSG (all p _{6 months–baseline} < 0.05) and all the parameters had similar values at 12 months postoperatively (all p _{12–6 months} = NS). LV hypertrophy prevalence decreased from 61.8 to 47.1 % and to 32.3 % at 6 and 12 months after surgery (all p < 0.05). The proportion of patients with LV diastolic dysfunction decreased from 52.9 to 23.5 % at 6 months (p _{6 months–baseline} < 0.01) and to 20.6 % at 12 months postoperatively (p _{12 –6 months} = 0.7).

Significant improvements of aortic elasticity and of LV diastolic function were recorded at 6 months, and they were maintained at 12 months after LSG. The LV hypertrophy showed also a favorable evolution: it has been slightly improved 6 months after surgery and further ameliorated 1 year postoperatively.