Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) effectively reduces weight by restricting gastric capacity and altering gut hormones levels. We designed a prospective study to investigate the correlation of serum uric acid (SUA) concentration and weight loss. SUA and body mass index (BMI) were measured preoperatively and on first postoperative month and year in patients who underwent LSG in our department of bariatric surgery. Data on 55 patients were analyzed. Preoperative SUA concentration had a significant positive correlation with percentage of total weight loss (TWL) on first postoperative month (P ¼ 0.001) and year (P ¼ 0.002). SUA concentration on first postoperative month had a positive correlation with percentage of TWL on first postoperative year (P ¼ 0.004). SUA concentration could be used as a predictor of LSG's success and could help in early detection of patients with rapid loss of weight, in order to prevent complications.Key words: Bariatric surgery -Metabolic syndrome -Weight loss -Uric acid M orbid obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. In a recent epidemiological survey, the overall prevalence of obesity in Greece was estimated 22.5% (27.3% men and 25.7% women), while 35.2% of total population was found to be overweight (41.1% men and 29.9% women).1 Recent studies suggest that morbid obesity represents an important social and financial problem. Furthermore, morbid obesity is related with decreased overall survival, due to the related comorbidities, such as obstructive sleep apnea, hypoventilation syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypertension, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, fatty liver infiltration, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus 2 Nowadays, LSG has proved its efficiency in weight loss and is used as a single bariatric operation. LSG achieves excess weight loss of 60 to 65% (in 3 years' follow up) and successful management of obesity comorbidities with resolution in about 45 to 95% of them.
3The mechanisms behind LSG weight-reducing actions are not yet fully elucidated. Reduction of the stomach capacity causing restriction in food intake is one of the most important mechanisms involved. Recent studies implicate that gut hormones and especially ghrelin may play a role in weight loss after LSG.
4Uric acid is the end product of purines (adenosine/guanosine) metabolism. Xanthine oxidase (XO) is the enzyme, responsible for the uric acid production. It converts hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid (Fig. 1).5 Uric acid is produced mainly in the liver and intestine because of the high XO activity in those tissues. Serum uric acid (SUA) concentration is lower in women and children and increases with age. In postmenopausal women, SUA concentration is similar to this found in males. Normal values of SUA concentration are 3.5 to 7.2 mg/dL for adult men and 2.6 to 6.1 mg/dL for premenopausal women. It is obvious that concentration of SUA does not remain stable and it depends on genetic and environmental factors, the distortion of which can result to hyperuricemia.
6Uric ...